Lesson #408
Where’d You Get Those Genes?
Grades 5-7
Authors Beth Brookhart Pam Schallock
Editor Pamela Emery
2300 River Plaza Drive Sacramento, CA 95833 916-561-5625 • 800-700-2482 E-Mail: [email protected] • Web Site: www.cfaitc.org California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom
Vision: An appreciation of agriculture by all.
Mission: To increase awareness and understanding of agriculture among California’s educators and students.
All or part of this educational unit may be reproduced for teacher and student classroom use. Permission for reproductions for other purposes must be obtained from the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom.
2nd Edition
September 2001 Table of Contents
Acknowledgements ...... 2
Getting Started
Introduction ...... 3
Unit Overview ...... 4
Lessons
Junior’s Family Tree ...... 7
Rock, Paper, Scissors ...... 21
Peanut Butter Broccoli ...... 27
The Geniacs ...... 32
Catch Up on Tomato Technology ...... 42
Teacher Resources
Background Information on Biotechnology ...... 57
Teacher Resources and References ...... 63
Related Web Sites ...... 65
Related Literature ...... 67
Content Standard Details ...... 69
Glossary ...... 78
www.cfaitc.org 1 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Acknowledgements
Authors The California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom is dedicated to fostering a greater public knowledge of the agricultural industry. The Beth Brookhart Foundation works with K-12 teachers, community leaders, media Pam Schallock representatives, and government executives to enhance education using agricultural examples. It offers school children the knowledge to make informed choices.
Editor This unit was funded in 1996 by Calgene Incorporated and the California Farm Bureau Federation. To meet the needs of California Pamela Emery educators, Where’d You Get Those Genes? was revised to support the Curriculum Content Standards for California Public Schools. Funding from the California Farm Bureau Federation and private donations was Illustrators used to make this revision possible.
Karin Bakotich The Foundation would like to thank the people who helped create, write, Pat Houk revise, and edit this unit. Their comments and recommendations Sherri Hughes contributed significantly to the development of this unit. However, their participation does not necessarily imply endorsement of all statements in the document. Layout & Design Curriculum Advisory & Review Committee Nina Danner Carol Bastiani Jean Kennedy Pam Schallock Joanne Borovoy Judith Kjelstrom, Ph.D. Wynette Sills Beth Brookhart Jean Landeen Roger Sitkin Lucas Calpouzos, Ph.D. Florence Martin Barbara Soots Judy Culbertson Dona Mast Nancy Stevens Jerry Delsol Martina McGloughlin KarenBeth Traiger Richard Engel Craig McNamara Denise Van Horn Marni Engh Donna Mitten John Vogt David Hammond Robyn Moore Gil Walker Carolyn Hayworth Jan Oaks Mary Yale Karen Holtman Jeffery O’Neal Sarah Yourd Catherine Houck, Ph.D. Charles Rivara Andy Kennedy Bruce Rominger
www.cfaitc.org 2 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Introduction
The Science Framework for California Public Schools emphasizes the need to make science education more meaningful to students so they can apply what they learn in the classroom to their daily lives. Since all students eat food and wear clothing, one natural connection between science and the real world is agriculture. Advances in agricultural technology are continually making headlines and are an excellent way for educators to connect current trends and issues in science to the lives of every student.
Agriculture is an important industry in the United States, especially in California. As more rural areas become urbanized and more challenges exist to maintain and improve the quality of the planet and feed the people of the world, it is extremely important to educate students about their environment, agriculture, and the current technologies and research that continue to make Earth a viable planet.
Where’d You Get Those Genes?, a fifth through seventh grade unit, introduces students to the world of agriculture and how the study of genetics and related technologies is used in the industry. Students work independently and collaboratively with classmates to learn more about heredity and biotechnology. Each lesson stands alone and can be used at different times throughout the year, or the unit can be used in its entirety as a common thread to teach the core curriculum. Junior’s Family Tree can be taught at the beginning of the year when students are getting to know one another. This lesson is a good springboard for discussing family traits and heritage. The lesson Rock, Paper, Scissors has a statistical application and can be used as a math- science lesson that requires prediction and problem-solving skills. An art lesson about poster-making can be used to also teach about persuasive advertising in Peanut Butter Broccoli, while The Geniacs lesson can teach about biographies before the students write their own biographies or autobiographies. Finally, Catch Up on Tomato Technology has students perform research and practice public speaking. What the future holds for agriculture will determine This unit teaches or reinforces specific subject matter Content the quality of life for all . . . Standards for California Public Schools. The standards which may apply to each lesson are listed by grade level, subject matter, and • farmers and ranchers number on the sidebars of each lesson. A content standard matrix for • suppliers the entire unit, with specific standards described, is located on pages • food processors 69-77. Where’d You Get Those Genes? is one of many educational • wholesalers units provided by the California Foundation for Agriculture in the • retailers Classroom. • consumers!
www.cfaitc.org 3 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Unit Overview
Unit Length Brief Description
Approximately 15 The students participate in a variety of lessons that examine the basic forty-minute sessions principles of heredity, as well as learn some specifics about genetics and how they are incorporated into today’s agricultural industry. After Objectives reading an interview with a horse breeder, students will understand that certain traits are carried from one generation to the next. The Rock, The students will: Paper, Scissors activity helps students understand that some traits are dominant and others are recessive. Students are then asked to create a ! Read an interview with a new produce item by combining existing traits with desirable traits. By horse breeder. reading biographies of scientists who have contributed to the study of genetics and biotechnology, students gain a better understanding of the ! Identify and record the history of genetic research. Finally, using tomatoes as an example, known traits of a horse’s students learn how technological advances have affected tomato family tree. production.
! Play a game and collect Curriculum Content Standards for data regarding outcomes. California Public Schools
! Create an imaginary plant A concerted effort to improve student achievement in all academic using the genetic concepts areas has impacted education throughout California. The California of dominant and recessive. Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom provides educators with numerous resource materials and lessons that can be used to teach and ! Compare similarities and reinforce the Curriculum Content Standards for California Public differences in traits. Schools. The lessons encourage students to think for themselves, ask questions, and learn problem-solving skills while learning the specific ! Create visual content needed to better understand the world in which they live. representations of data. This unit, Where’d You Get Those Genes?, includes lessons that can ! Develop an advertisement be used to teach or reinforce many of the educational content for an imaginary produce standards covered in grades five through seven. It can be used as a item. self-contained unit, each lesson can be incorporated into the curriculum at appropriate times, or can provide technical information in the areas ! Read biographies and of genetics and agriculture. gather key information. The specific subject matter content standards covered in the lessons ! Become familiar with the are listed on the sidebars of each lesson. A matrix chart showing how history of tomato the entire unit is aligned with the Curriculum Content Standards for production. California Public Schools can be found on pages 69-77.
! Practice oral presentation skills.
www.cfaitc.org 4 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Unit Overview
Key Vocabulary Evaluation agriculture This unit incorporates numerous activities and questions that can be biography used as evaluation tools, many of which can be included in student biotechnology portfolios. Embedded assessment includes oral and written responses Burbank, Luther to open-ended questions, drawing, group presentations, and other Carver, George Washington knowledge-application projects. Other evaluation factors may include cell active participation in class discussions and general knowledge of the chromosome subject matter. co-dominant comparison Visual Display Ideas cross breed deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) ! Display the student-designed diagrams of Junior’s Family Tree. dominant equestrian ! Display items obtained from the American Quarterhorse express Association. See page 63 for ordering information. family tree Fox, Sally ! Have students bring in their favorite novels about horses. Display gene the books. genetic code genetic engineering ! Display the plant models developed in Rock, Paper, Scissors. genetics heredity ! In the classroom library, display the advertisements made in Peanut interview Butter Broccoli. McClintock, Barbara Mendel, Gregor ! Create a collage of products made from tomatoes and the natural selection technologies used in today’s tomato industry. outcome paint horse ! Make a collage or free-standing display of products changed produce through biotechnology. quarterhorse recessive selective breeding technology trait variation
www.cfaitc.org 5 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Unit Overview
www.cfaitc.org 6 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Junior’s Family Tree Tracing the Lineage and Traits of a Horse
Purpose Background Information
The purpose of this activity is Throughout history, many animals and plants have been bred to to show that traits are passed perpetuate certain traits. Horses, cows, tomatoes, corn, and on from one generation to the strawberries are just a few examples of living things that have been next. selectively bred by humans. Breeders of horses are very aware of horse family traits. The horse traits they breed can be visual, such as Time hair coloring and muscularity, or intangible, such as temperament and health characteristics. 3 forty-minute sessions Traits are passed down through genes in cells. Genes are made of Materials DNA molecules. Each parent contributes one half of the genetic make- up of offspring. Your students will learn more about cells, chromosomes, and the details of heredity as they learn about the cell. For the teacher: This lesson includes an interview with a horse breeder and shows ! Meet Junior: A Quart of students that certain traits are passed on from one generation to the Paint Interview next. The students will trace the family (pages 10-13) history of a horse named Junior and learn why he has the characteristics ! Junior’s Relatives Fact he does. Feel free to extend this Sheet Teacher’s Copy activity, and have students observe (page 17) and review their own family traits. For each student: Procedure ! Meet Junior: A Quart of Paint Interview 1. Explain to the students that they are about to read an interview with (pages 10-13) a horse breeder. Read aloud and discuss Meet Junior: A Quart of Paint with the class. ! Junior: A Quart of Paint Activity Sheet (page 14) 2. Distribute the Junior: A Quart of Paint activity sheet to each student. Individually, have the students review the interview and For each team: then complete the worksheet. Share and discuss the student worksheets. ! Junior’s Family Tree Team Project 3. Divide the students into groups of three or four. Review the (pages 15-16) Junior’s Family Tree Team Project with your students and set guidelines for group work. The more organizational structure you ! Junior’s Relatives Fact provide at the onset, the more successful the students will be. Have Sheet (page 18) the students complete the Junior’s Family Tree Team Project.
! Junior (page 19) 4. At the completion of the activity, have student groups display Junior’s family tree. Discuss the similarities and differences ! Family Tree Horse between the family tree diagrams. Keep in mind that the students Templates (page 20) should not be graded on “right” or “wrong” answers in this activity. www.cfaitc.org 7 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Junior’s Family Tree Tracing the Lineage and Traits of a Horse
Materials (continued) They should be assessed on how well they thought about the “blue- eyed” question and how well they worked in their groups. ! Butcher or chart paper 5. Discuss that Junior obtained half of his genes from each parent and ! Glue that his parents obtained half of their genes from their parents. Since blue eyes are a recessive trait, blue eyed genes had to come ! Markers from both sides of Junior’s family. Discuss as much or as little of this as you feel appropriate. ! Rulers 6. Have the students complete a paragraph that starts with a sentence Content Standards similar to the one written below:
Grade 5 “I learned quite a bit about traits and heredity while charting Junior’s family tree.” Science Investigation and Variations Experimentation ! 6h ! Choose a different animal (steer, dog) and discuss its family tree. Reading/Language Arts Reading ! 1.1, 1.5, 2.1, 2.4 ! Have students do the activity individually rather than in groups. Writing ! 1.0, 1.3 Written and Oral Language Extensions Conventions ! 1.4, 1.5 Listening and Speaking ! Invite a horse trainer to class to discuss how certain characteristics 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.2 affect a horse’s ability to perform certain functions.
Mathematics ! Have students research the characteristics needed to be a good Statistics, Data Analysis, cutting horse, racehorse, riding horse, or a horse that is part of a and Probability ! 1.0, transport team. 1.2 Mathematical Reasoning ! Discuss that human traits are passed on from one generation to the 1.1, 1.2 next. Have students give examples of traits they have inherited from their ancestors. Remember that inherited traits are not always Grade 6 visual but may include traits such as health and temperament. Discuss how family members feel about the traits they have Science inherited. Have their feelings about their traits changed over time? Investigation and Experimentation ! 7e ! Have students make a personal family tree by interviewing an older family member. Reading/Language Arts Reading ! 1.0, 1.1, 1.2 ! Have the students research how certain plants and animals have Writing ! 1.0, 1.3, 2.2 been selectively bred for certain characteristics. Good examples Written and Oral Language include corn (maize), cows, figs, grapes, and cotton. Conventions ! 1.4, 1.5 Listening and Speaking 1.3, 1.6 www.cfaitc.org 8 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Junior’s Family Tree Tracing the Lineage and Traits of a Horse
Content Standards ! Invite a seed-manufacturing representative to class or take a field (continued) trip to a seed company. Discuss the processes used to produce seeds that have desirable traits. Mathematics Statistics, Data Analysis, ! Collect seed packets of different varieties of the same item such as and Probability! 2.0, 3.0 corn, beans, or radishes. In groups, have students read the packets Mathematical Reasoning and analyze what characteristics they think were selectively bred 1.0, 1.1, 1.3 for home gardeners (for example, long beans, sweet corn, mild tasting radishes, etc.). Grade 7 ! Have the students read the story Corn is Maize by Aliki (see Science page 67). Discuss how corn was selectively bred over time to Genetics ! 2, 2b, 2c produce the corn we have in the marketplace today. Evolution ! 3a Investigation and Experimentation ! 7c
Reading/Language Arts Reading ! 1.0, 1.1 Writing ! 1.0, 1.4 Written and Oral Language Conventions ! 1.4 Listening and Speaking 1.5
Mathematics Mathematical Reasoning 1.0, 1.1, 1.3
www.cfaitc.org 9 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Meet Junior: A Quart of Paint An Interview With a Horse Breeder
Narrator: Horses are used in a variety of ways—for working on cattle ranches, for racing, for show, for strength, etc. In this interview, you will learn about a horse named Junior: A Quart of Paint! He is part quarterhorse and part paint horse. Can you figure out how he got his name? You will have another little mystery to solve as soon as this interview is over!
Owner: Welcome to my family’s ranch. My name is Karen.
Interviewer: How long have you lived here?
Owner: I have been breeding paint and quarterhorses since 1988; however, my family has been breeding horses since the early 1950s. We have owned this property since 1961.
Interviewer: Who is this interesting horse? (Interviewer points at a horse.)
Owner: He is part paint horse and part quarterhorse. Meet Junior: A Quart of Paint.
Interviewer: What beautiful eyes he has.
Owner: I know! It was a real surprise when he opened his eyes for the first time! Both of his parents have brown eyes!
Interviewer: Tell me a little bit about paint horses and quarterhorses.
Owner: Well, quarterhorses have a special build. (She points to Junior as she talks.) They generally have big hips, a short back, a nice long neck, and a small head. Quarterhorses are bred for these characteristics. Junior is also part paint horse. A paint horse is a special kind of quarter horse. Paint horses are known for their coloring. Junior’s base coloring is bay (a brownish color) but he has lots of white hair. It looks as though he has been painted with white paint. When I breed for offspring, I want horses with “painted” coloring and the nice build of an attractive quarterhorse.
Interviewer: Tell me what quarterhorses and paint horses are used for.
Owner: There are many breeds of horses. Quarterhorses are generally used for riding and cutting cattle. Cutting cattle means to remove a particular steer
www.cfaitc.org 10 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Meet Junior: A Quart of Paint (continued)
or cow from a herd of cattle and make it go where you want it to. Paint horses are also often used for pleasure riding and showing. Junior, here, would be a good horse for a young person to own. He could be a real good show horse some day. He has a real sparkle in his eye and has a lot of personality. He also has great lines.
Interviewer: Tell me a little more about his coloring.
Owner: He has brown markings on his head up to his ears. We call this a “medicine hat.” Since his face is all white, we call it a “bald face.” See here (she points toward the mane and tail) . . . he has black markings on the tip of his tail and on the part of his mane that hangs down on his forehead. All of these things are markings that an owner may or may not want on a paint horse.
Interviewer: Tell me about his parents.
Owner: Junior’s mother is a mare named Heart’s Delight. She is bay colored (brownish) and has a white tail with a black tip. Her legs are white and her neck and back are somewhat short. She has brown eyes. She is a very gentle horse but is very lively. In fact, I think she is more lively than Junior. By the way, she is called a dam because she is a mom.
Interviewer: What about Junior’s father?
Owner: Well, we call the father of a horse a sire. His name is Triple Feature. He is a sorrel colored (a light reddish brown) quarterhorse. His hair, mane, and tail are all sorrel colored. He is a beautiful horse. I especially like his blaze face. A blaze face is one like this horse has here. (She points to a horse that has a white strip that runs between his eyes and down to his nose.) Junior’s father is not quite as big as Heart’s Delight. He’s very calm and pleasant with good athletic ability. Junior has great athletic ability too!
Interviewer: What color are Triple Feature’s eyes?
Owner: His eyes are brown! That is why I was quite surprised to see that Junior’s eyes are blue.
Interviewer: Where did he get his blue eyes then?
www.cfaitc.org 11 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Meet Junior: A Quart of Paint (continued)
Owner: Well, I can tell you a little about Junior’s grandparents. That may help!
Interviewer: Great! But I only have a few minutes before I have to head back to the office. Let’s go for it! This is getting interesting.
Owner: Junior’s mother’s mother, known as a second dam, was named Pretty Papoose. She was a paint horse with brown and white body hair. She had four white legs and a blaze face. She was owned by some children. Junior’s grandfather on his mother’s side (known as a “dam sire”) is named Dixie Wardrum. He is part paint and part quarterhorse and lives on our ranch. He is very gentle and docile. He is bay and white with four white socks, which are white markings on his lower legs–like socks! He has sparkling brown eyes.
Interviewer: Wow! You certainly know a lot about Junior’s relatives. Can you quickly tell me about his other two grandparents?
Owner: Certainly. I know all of this information because in the horse breeding industry it’s very important to know the history of your horse . We register our horses. Junior’s father’s mother, I guess I can call her the sire’s dam, is named Welcome Home. She has an elegant long neck, is bay colored with a black mane and tail. She has four white socks. Welcome Home is a very gentle horse.
Interviewer: I am enjoying hearing the horse’s names. Someday you will have to tell me how horse breeders name their horses. Anyway . . . I think you have to tell me about one more grandfather.
Owner: Yes! Junior’s father’s father, known as a sire’s sire, is called Triple Tough and is a quarterhorse. He has two white socks on his hind legs and brown eyes. He was one of my first horses. He’s a bit wild and difficult to work with. But he certainly is a beautiful horse!
Narrator: As the owner and interviewer walk back to the ranch entrance, they stop and look at Junior one more time. He is eating grass in the pasture. He looks up at the two.
www.cfaitc.org 12 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Meet Junior: A Quart of Paint (continued)
Owner: Junior likes to eat hay and grain with rice bran in it. But he also loves spending his days in the pasture. I hope Junior will make a good show horse or a good working cattle horse. We’ll just have to wait and see how well he does as he grows and gets trained.
Interviewer: Look! Junior’s looking right at me. His eyes are so sparkling! Well, you never did tell me how Junior got those beautiful blue eyes! I guess I will have to figure that out on my own!
Owner: Thank you for stopping by. Come back anytime to see Junior.
Narrator: So, how did Junior get those blue eyes?
Special thanks to Karen Hendricks and Jennifer Harrison for providing information for this lesson.
www.cfaitc.org 13 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Junior: A Quart of Paint Name ______Activity Sheet Date ______
After listening to the interview about Junior, color the picture as realistically as possible.
1. What are some characteristics of Junior that you were unable to show by coloring?
______
2. After discussing your drawing with your classmates, are there any changes you would make to the picture you colored of Junior? If so, what would they be?
______
www.cfaitc.org 14 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Junior’s Family Tree Team Project
Horses are necessary on many farms in the United States today. Cattle ranchers use horses to round-up cattle. Certain horses are preferred for this job because they require particular characteristics. Can you imagine a rancher riding a horse that was not fast enough to help rope a calf, or a horse whose legs were too wobbly to climb a rocky mountain? Horse owners not only choose their horses for strength and agility, but they also choose horses for their temperament, strength, and appearance. You will see that horse breeding is a very complex science as you complete this activity.
You and your team will create a model of Junior’s family tree using facts that you obtained from his breeder and by making assumptions of your own. Junior has a combination of his mother’s and father’s genes. Junior’s mother and father got their genes from each of their parents. Complete the following procedure to make Junior’s family tree and determine how Junior really got his blue eyes!
Materials
! Junior picture (page 19)
! Six Family Tree Horse Templates (page 20)
! Large sheet of butcher paper or construction paper
! Markers, crayons, or colored pencils
! Black marker
! Ruler
! Glue/glue stick
! Meet Junior: A Quart of Paint Interview
! Junior’s Relatives Fact Sheet
! Other supplies your group brings from home
www.cfaitc.org 15 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Junior’s Family Tree Team Project (continued)
Procedure
1. Establish a neat and organized work place for your team.
2. Organize the materials provided by your teacher. Listen to clean-up procedures and other rules your teacher has about the project.
3. Fill in the facts you know about Junior and his relatives on the Junior’s Relatives Fact Sheet.
4. As a group, review what Junior really must look like. Have someone in the group color the group’s picture of Junior.
5. Make a rough sketch of Junior’s family tree using the diagram shown as a guide. Your rough sketch should include descriptions of each relative in the family tree. The descriptions should include appearance as well as characteristics you cannot see. Have your teacher approve your rough sketch.
6. Make your final display of Junior’s Family Tree on large paper. Your family tree must include the following:
! The names of your group members.
! Accurately colored picture of each relative.
! Written description of characteristics one cannot see for each relative.
! Lines that accurately connect one horse to the next.
! A written explanation describing where Junior got his blue eyes.
! Any facts your group would like to add or details that add to the appearance of your display.
www.cfaitc.org 16 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Junior’s Relatives Fact Sheet Teacher’s Copy
Junior Heart’s Delight—Mother (dam)
Quarterhorse/Paint Horse Brown eyes
Bay colored (brownish) Bay colored (brownish)
Lots of white hair White tail with black tip
Medicine hat (brown markings on his head White legs up to his ears) Short neck and back Bald face (white face) Lively Black markings on tail tip and on forehead mane Triple Feature—Father (sire) Blue eyes Quarterhorse Big hips Brown eyes Short back Hair, mane and tail are sorrel (light Long neck reddish brown)
Small head Blaze face
Good, lively personality Calm and pleasant
Great athletic ability Good athletic ability
Pretty Papoose Dixie Wardrum Welcome Home Triple Tough Mother’s Mother Father’s Father Father’s Mother Father’s Father (second dam) (dam’s sire) (sire’s dam) (sire’s sire)
Bay colored Bay colored Bay colored Quarterhorse
White legs White socks Black mane and tail Two white socks
Paint horse Brown eyes White socks Brown eyes
Blaze face Paint and Long neck Wild quarterhorse Gentle Gentle Gentle and docile www.cfaitc.org 17 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Junior’s Relatives Fact Sheet Name ______
Fill in the chart below with as many facts as you can about Junior and his relatives. Use this chart to help create Junior’s family tree display. You may choose to make some hypotheses about some traits– if you do this, somehow mark that these are guesses and not actually proven facts. Heart’s Delight—Mother (dam) ______Junior ______Father—Father (sire) ______
Pretty Papoose Dixie Wardrum Welcome Home Triple Tough Mother’s Mother Mother’s Father Father’s Mother Father’s Father (second dam) (dam’s sire) (sire’s dam) (sire’s sire) ______
www.cfaitc.org 18 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Junior use it to begin your family tree project. After discussing what Junior looks like with your team members, color this picture accurately and
www.cfaitc.org 19 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Family Tree Horse Templates
www.cfaitc.org 20 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Rock, Paper, Scissors Dominant and Recessive Traits
Purpose Background Information
The purpose of this activity is When an offspring is formed, its traits are determined by a combination to understand the meaning of of genes from each parent. Each parent contributes one half of the dominant and recessive genes genes for each trait. In the simplest cases, genes are either dominant or and the concept of how genes recessive. When a dominant gene combines with a recessive gene, the determine the characteristics dominant gene’s characteristics are expressed in the offspring. When of offspring. two recessive genes are combined, the recessive characteristic is expressed in the offspring. Co-dominance occurs when the genes for a Time particular trait are equally strong. In this case, the two variations of the gene are expressed in equal strength. 2 forty-minute sessions In agriculture there are many examples of dominant, recessive and co- Materials dominant traits. Some examples are listed below: ! Red potato skin is dominant over white potato skin. For each partnership: ! Russet colored potato skin is dominant over white potato skin. ! Plant Features Activity Sheet (page 25) ! Green peas are dominant over yellow peas. ! Rock, Paper, Scissors ! Red cherry tomatoes are dominant over yellow cherry tomatoes. Recording Chart (page 24) ! Red and white snapdragon flowers are co-dominant and produce pink flowers. For each student: ! Short and tall corn plants are co-dominant and produce medium ! What Does It Look Like? height corn plants. Activity Sheet (page 26) ! Tall sunflower plants are dominant over short sunflower plants. ! Crayons and scissors ! Yellow kerneled corn is dominant over white kerneled corn. For the class:
! Five “gene pool” containers Procedure made from shoe boxes or baskets 1. Have students list words that are associated with the words “dominant” (dominated, dominating, dominate, domain, dominance, predominant, dominator, etc.) and “recessive” (recessively, recede, recess, receded, receding, recessional, recession, etc.). Then discuss the differences between the concept of dominating a situation and receding in the same situation. For instance, if two people wanted to climb up a ladder of a slide at the same time, one person might dominate the situation by yelling it was his turn or pushing someone out of the way. Someone else might recede by walking away and playing something else. The receding person
www.cfaitc.org 21 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Rock, Paper, Scissors Dominant and Recessive Traits
Content Standards may play at the slide later when there is less competition (similar to genes). Role-play a few situations such as lining up after recess or Grade 5 participating in class discussions.
Science 2. Describe the activity Rock, Paper, Scissors, using the words Investigation and “dominant” and “recessive.” Discuss that rock dominates scissors, Experimentation ! 6 scissors dominate paper, and paper dominates rock. Have the students do Reading/Language Arts the activity with a partner, recording Reading ! 1.2 on a chart (provided) each partner’s contribution and each Mathematics outcome for several rounds. Mathematical Reasoning The outcome column will say 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 2.3 either “Rock,” “Paper,” or “Scissors.” If both people choose the same item, then it is a tie and the item that both people chose will be written in the outcome box. Grade 6 The procedure for the activity is described below. Science Investigation and How to Play Rock, Paper, Scissors Experimentation ! 7, 7c After a count of “1-2-3,” each player must symbolize a rock, paper, or scissors with one hand on a desk or tabletop. The Reading/Language Arts hand symbol for rock is a fist. The hand symbol for paper is a Reading ! 1.2 flat hand on the desk or tabletop. The hand symbol for scissors is the first two fingers cutting the air in a scissors motion. It is Mathematics important that both partners reveal their chosen hand symbols Statistics, Data Analysis, at exactly the same time. and Probability ! 2.3, . 2.4, 2.5 Mathematical Reasoning 1.1
Grade 7 Paper
Science Genetics ! 2, 2b, 2c, 2d Rock Scissors Evolution ! 3, 3a Investigation and 3. Discuss the outcome of the game. Are there ways of making Experimentation ! 7, 7c certain one person will always dominate (win)?
Reading/Language Arts 4. Discuss “dominant” and “recessive” in terms of genes and Reading ! 1.2, 1,3 heredity.
5. Have each partnership color and cut out the items on the Plant Features page. Place the features into the prepared “gene pool” containers (boxes, envelopes, etc.) labeled “Leaves,” “Fruit,” www.cfaitc.org 22 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Rock, Paper, Scissors Dominant and Recessive Traits
Content Standards “Flowers,” “Roots,” and “Stems.” Each partnership will contribute (continued) a dominant and recessive trait for each feature. Place the five different boxes in different locations throughout the room. Mathematics Statistics, Data Analysis, and Probability ! 1.0 Mathematical Reasoning 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 2.1, 2.4, 6. Hand out to each pair of students What Does It Look Like? (page 2.5, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 26). From five separate “gene pool” containers, have each student randomly select one feature. Have the students fill in the gene chart of the features chosen. The partners then need to determine what their plant looks like. For example, if one partner chooses a dominant round fruit and the other partner chooses a recessive oval fruit, the plant will have round fruit. Have the students draw their plant showing the appropriate feature.
7. Have the students display their plants. Discuss how many dominant traits were expressed compared to recessive traits. Discuss the wide variety of plants produced from the same gene pool and how this activity shows that it would be highly unlikely for two brothers or sisters to be exactly the same.
Variations
! Have the class design their own dominant and recessive features for the gene pool.
! Rather than working in pairs, have the class create one plant on a flannel board by randomly selecting from the gene pool.
! When discussing traits that are dominant, co-dominant, and recessive, use colored chalk and a chalkboard to illustrate. Two colors can be blended for co-dominance and a recessive color can be erased.
Extensions
! Have two pairs of students cross their plants to produce offspring. The offspring would be created by a random selection of one trait from each plant’s gene pool. Students could hold their traits behind their back while the other pair chose right or left hand to arrive at a trait. This process could continue through several generations. The plant’s family tree could be displayed on a bulletin board.
! Based on features in an offspring, discuss what the parent plants may have looked like. www.cfaitc.org 23 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Rock, Paper, Scissors Name ______Recording Chart Date ______
Round Partner A Partner B Outcome (Paper, Rock, Scissors)
1 2
3
4
5
6
7 8
9
10
Possible Outcomes
! Rock dominates scissors ! Scissors dominate paper ! Paper dominates rock
Conclusion
1. Which outcome was most common in your partnership? ______2. Which outcome was the least common? ______3. Were your results similar to the results of the class? ______4. Describe one thing you learned about genetics by doing this activity. ______
www.cfaitc.org 24 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Plant Features Color and cut out the dominant and recessive features and place them in the appropriate boxes as explained by your teacher.
Dominant Recessive
Leaf
Dominant Recessive Leaf Leaf
Fruit
Dominant Recessive Fruit Fruit
Flower
Dominant Recessive Flower Flower
Root
Dominant Recessive Root Root
Stem
Dominant Recessive Stem Stem
www.cfaitc.org 25 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 What Does It Look Name ______Like? Date ______
Complete this plant diagram by following the instructions of your teacher.
Feature Partner A Partner B Outcome
Leaf
Fruit
Flower
Stem
Root
Reminder
! Two dominate traits = ! Two recessive genes = ! One dominant gene and one dominant trait recessive trait recessive gene = dominant trait
Plant Diagram
www.cfaitc.org 26 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Peanut Butter Broccoli Creating New Produce Items Through the Selection of Genetic Traits
Purpose Background Information
The purpose of this activity is Agriculture is highly responsive to the consumer demands on produce. to illustrate that produce items Traditional breeding and biotechnology are used to create fruits and have a wide variey of traits vegetables consumers prefer. Selective breeding is the practice of that can potentially be identifying certain desirable traits in a plant or animal and breeding to combined to produce a new obtain off-spring with those desirable traits. This procedure normally food. Selective breeding and takes many generations of breeding before the desired off-spring genetic engineering are two results. For example, cotton plants are continually cross-bred with each ways desired traits can be other to produce cotton with longer, silkier fibers for finer quality incorporated into plants and clothing. The beef industry continually cross-breed muscular, lean cattle animals. to produce leaner beef.
Time Genetic engineering, sometimes referred to as biotechnology, is the process of adding, removing, or transferring genetic material from one 4 forty-minute sessions organism to another. While genetic engineering has the potential to create Materials specific desirable traits in a product, it is a complex process with limitations and is not used without great For the class: consideration. Identifying and isolating a target gene for transfer is a complex ! Several varieties of one process. Scientists and biotechnology type of produce item such companies must consider ethics, cost, benefits and drawbacks of the as apples, lettuce, or process, as well as whether the final product is worth the effort. potatoes (if using lettuce– iceberg, red leaf, green One such product was the MacGregor tomato. This tomato was altered leaf, Romaine, endive, to resist rotting—the end result was a better-tasting fresh market butter lettuce, etc.) tomato that could be available to consumers several months each year. This tomato proved not to be economically beneficial for continuous ! Sticky notes (several per production. There are now other fresh market tomatoes, grown in student) greenhouses, that provide consumers with good-tasting tomatoes year- round. For each small group: Genetic engineering has been used to incorporate a starch gene from a ! Art supplies necessary to bacterium into potatoes. This change allows the potato to be fried create an ad to share with without absorbing as much oil. The end result is French fries and potato the class chips that contain less fat.
Besides changes made for consumer demands, biotechnology including selective breeding is used to aid in farming practices. For example, some varieties of carrots are grown because of their disease-resistant traits. Certain squash and cantaloupe varieties have been genetically altered to protect themselves against viruses; thus, fewer pesticides are required on these plants.
www.cfaitc.org 27 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Peanut Butter Broccoli Creating New Produce Items Through the Selection of Genetic Traits
Content Standards As you will continue to hear in the media, there is controversy over benefits and drawbacks of genetically engineered foods. Research Grade 5 continues as does open discussion about this topic. Be sure to share related news articles with your students. As always, take note of the Science authors of the articles and what their agendas are. Investigation and Experimentation ! 6a, Traits from different types of plants can also be combined to form a 6g, 6h new plant, such as broccoflower (broccoli and cauliflower combined) or plumcots (plum and apricot combined). This activity, Peanut Butter Reading/Language Arts Broccoli, encourages students to use their imagination in designing a new produce item. How can the students improve the food they like to Writing ! 1.6 eat? How can they make the foods they do not like to eat more Written and Oral Language appealing? How can crops be grown to make production easier for the Conventions ! 1.0 farmer? Is it theoretically possible to produce the food the students Listening and Speaking have created? These sensitive topics can be addressed in this fun 1.7, 1.8 activity. Mathematics Statistics, Data Analysis, Procedure and Probability ! 1.0, 1.2 1. To introduce the concept of physical traits and inheritance, begin Mathematical Reasoning collecting information from the class regarding a certain physical 1.0, 1.1, 1.2 trait (i.e. how many students have black hair, how many have blond hair, etc.). Differentiate between inherited traits and traits that Grade 6 result from changes over time (such as gray hair) or from outside sources (hair dye). Compare similarities and differences. Science Investigation and 2. Create a bar graph showing class data you have gathered. One Experimentation ! 7c simple way of making a bar graph is described below:
Reading/Language Arts ! Hand one sticky note to Writing ! 1.3, 1.6 each student. Written and Oral Language Conventions ! 1.0 ! Have each student write Listening and Speaking his or her name on the 1.8 sticky note.
Mathematics ! Draw the axes of the Mathematical Reasoning graph on the chalkboard 1.0, 1.1, 1.3 or on a piece of butcher paper.
! Ask all the students with a certain trait (brown hair for example) to bring their sticky notes to the board.
! Arrange the notes in a single column (or bar).
www.cfaitc.org 28 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Peanut Butter Broccoli Creating New Produce Items Through the Selection of Genetic Traits
Content Standards ! Ask all the students with one variation of that trait (black hair (continued) for example) to bring their sticky notes to the board.
Grade 7 ! Arrange these notes in a single column (or bar) parallel to the first. Science Cell Biology ! 1c ! Continue this procedure until all the sticky notes have been Genetics ! 2c, 2d, 2e placed on the bar graph. Evolution ! 3a ! Label the axes. Reading/Language Arts Writing ! 1.7 3. Review the idea of traits and that they are obtained from one’s Written and Oral Language parents. Discuss that just as people have traits, so do produce Conventions ! 1.0, 1.4 items.
Mathematics 4. Now the students will compare several traits of a produce item Statistics, Data Analysis, such as lettuce, potatoes, or apples. and Probability ! 1.0 Mathematical Reasoning ! Divide the students into groups of 3 or 4. 1.0, 1.1, 1.3 ! Hand each group one variety of the produce item.
! As a class, make a list of traits each group will analyze. If using lettuce, some traits may include leaf shape, color, head shape, taste, and leaf size.
! To each group, pass out a sticky note for each trait to be examined (i.e. number of leaves, color, texture, size, etc.). The group should identify the expression of each trait for their variety of the produce item.
! In advance, prepare large bar graphs for each of the selected traits for each variety. Have the students place their sticky notes on a variety of bar graphs based on the identified traits. Some examples of bar graphs are shown below.
! Discuss the desirability and limitations of the various traits.
www.cfaitc.org 29 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Peanut Butter Broccoli Creating New Produce Items Through the Selection of Genetic Traits
5. Working in teams of two or three, have the students design and promote an imaginary produce item. It should have various traits that will make it desirable for specific uses. For example, a group could create a two- pound head of broccoli that tastes like peanut butter. It can be promoted as a non-messy, healthy, family-sized snack. The following procedure may provide guidance and encourage your students to stay on task. Encourage students to think of traits other than taste, including weather adaptations, disease resistance, length of growing cycle, or nutritional value.
! In small groups, have the students brainstorm different fun imaginary produce items that they would like to eat.
! Have them select one item they will create.
! Have the students decide where the desired traits will come from (i.e. another plant, bacteria, animal, eggs, etc.).
! Explain the concepts of selective breeding and genetic engineering. Have students decide whether the item can possibly be selectively bred or must be genetically engineered. You may need to help them with this. If you are uncertain, chances are the item must be genetically engineered.
! Have the students decide how they could promote their item.
! Giving appropriate guidelines, have students create a magazine advertisement for their product.
6. Display the advertisements around the classroom.
7. Discuss the topic of genetic engineering and why different traits are desirable. Discuss how produce traits may be altered through natural means or through genetic engineering practices. Have the students discuss the ethics of altering traits through genetic engineering.
Variations
! Use magazine photos to design a new food item. Pictures can be cut out and combined to create the new item, such as a lettuce plant that also grows carrots and tomatoes.
www.cfaitc.org 30 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Peanut Butter Broccoli Creating New Produce Items Through the Selection of Genetic Traits
! Instead of a magazine advertisement, have students create a television commercial, radio commercial, or newspaper article about their new food item. Video tape commercials or publish a class newspaper full of student articles.
Extensions
! Identify the newly created product with a new scientific binomial (the genus and species names). For ideas, students should research the genus and species of common produce items.
! Create and collect puns, jokes, and riddles relating to produce items.
! Develop uses for the newly created produce item. Write appropriate recipes.
! Discuss real produce items that are the result of combining two produce items such as a plumcot (plum and apricot), tangelo (tangerine and orange), or broccoflower (broccoli and cauliflower).
! Invite a geneticist into the classroom to describe his or her daily routine.
! Discuss the variety of marketing techniques companies use to promote their products.
www.cfaitc.org 31 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 The Geniacs Biographies of Genetics Researchers
Purpose Background Information
The purpose of this activity is The study of genetics formally began in 1865 by an Augustinian Monk to read about and compare the named Gregor Mendel. In 1900, his work was rediscovered by three lives and contributions of scientists working independently. Since then, many scientists and people who have worked in researchers have made important discoveries about heredity. Many the fields of genetics and studies have utilized bacteria, yeast, viruses, insects, plants, and animals, biotechnology. and the knowledge acquired has been applied to human genetic studies. Initially, research in genetics was very time consuming, but with the Time advent of modern technology and the computer, research has progressed rapidly. Like many areas of science, genetic research 3 forty-minute sessions frequently nets results that can be applied to many situations and can be beneficial to other research in the future. Materials The biographies provided describe people who have had an influence on genetics in one way or For each small group: another. Some of the people are well known for their work, historically, and others represent ! Copies of one biography important geneticists of today. This language arts (pages 35-41) lesson can be incorporated into an autobiography lesson or biography writing assignment. ! One Biography Comparison Chart (page 34) Procedure
For each student: 1. Divide the students into small groups. Have each group read one of the provided biographies about a person associated with genetics. ! Writing paper 2. Hand out a blank comparison chart (provided). Have the groups reread the biography and fill in the comparison chart for their scientist.
3. When each group is finished, have them share the information about their scientist with the class. Each group should complete the remainder of the comparison chart from the information shared by other groups. The note taking should be shared among group members. Photocopy the page for all members of the group to have.
4. Have each student write a biography about a hypothetical geneticist of the future. What discoveries will this person make? What previous discoveries led to the new discovery? What will the benefits of the discoveries be? What challenges will arise because of this discovery? Encourage students to be creative yet realistic with their writing. Have the students make an illustration or book cover that depicts their scientist and his or her discoveries.
www.cfaitc.org 32 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 The Geniacs Biographies of Genetics Researchers
Content Standards 5. Share the biographies with the class, parents, and school.
Grade 5 Variations
Reading/Language Arts ! Use an overhead transparency to fill in the comparison chart Reading ! 1.0, 2.0, 2.3 information. Writing ! 1.0, 1.2 Written and Oral Language ! Have students research other scientists who have made a Conventions ! 1.0 contribution to our understanding of genetics.
Grade 6 ! Instead of writing individual biographies, have students work in pairs on an interview. One partner can pretend to be the geneticist Reading/Language Arts of the future while the other partner does the interviewing. The Reading ! 1.0, 1.4, 2.0, 2.3, scientist and interviewer should prepare and practice before 2.6, 2.7 presenting the interview to the class. Writing ! 1.0, 1.2, 2.2 Written and Oral Language Extensions Conventions ! 1.0 ! Encourage the students to find photographs of the scientists they Grade 7 study.
Reading/Language Arts ! Have students compile news items featuring genetic research and Reading ! 1.0, 2.0 the scientists involved in the research. Writing ! 1.0, 1.7, 2.5 Written and Oral Language ! Have students draw “before” and “after” pictures of a contribution Conventions ! 1.0, 1.4 made by the real scientists they read about in the biographies.
! Compare the lives of the scientists in the biographies with the lives of other famous people with whom the students are familiar.
! Discuss the acceptance of the research done by each scientist and whether others felt the discoveries were important at the time. Was the research found to be beneficial long after it was first made public?
! Discuss ethical issues pertinent to the scientists’ research.
! Invite a geneticist to speak to your class. Seed companies, universities, and medical centers may have geneticists who will be willing to come to your class.
www.cfaitc.org 33 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Biography Comparison Chart Name Nationality Date of Birth Contribution Scientific Contribution Importance of Scientific Date ______Name ______Contributions Other
www.cfaitc.org 34 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Luther Burbank (1849-1926)
The Burbank potato, Santa Rosa plum, and the Shasta daisy are all creations of an American plant breeder, nurseryman, and horticulturist named Luther Burbank. He was the 13th of 15 children. Burbank grew up on his parents’ farm in Lancaster, Massachusetts. From an early age, he had a love for plants. His mother shared his interest. She had a talent for making things grow in her garden. Burbank attended Lancaster Academy, which was a college preparatory school, until the age of 21. About this time, his father died. It became necessary for Burbank to help support his family. This he did by raising and selling vegetables. He decided that he would make his living by breeding plants. Burbank found that he was especially interested in growing hybrids, which are plants produced from breeding two kinds of plants or two plants with different traits.
The event that launched Burbank’s career was his development of two special potato seedlings. In his efforts to create a better potato, Burbank discovered a rare seed ball with 23 ripening seeds on one of his Early Rose potato plants. He was able to grow the seeds, two of which showed promise of producing the kind of potato Burbank was hoping to create. These two seedlings were sold to a seedsman for $150. That was enough money to let Burbank move to California to continue his plant breeding career. Potato Plant
Burbank arrived in Santa Rosa, California in 1875. He was enthusiastic about living in a climate that would be helpful to his nursery business. In 1885, Burbank purchased a farm in Sebastopol. He was well established in the nursery business by this time and began to work on a special plum. He knew of a Japanese plum that was juicy and red in color. He knew that the plum tree would not likely survive in many of America’s climates and soils, but Burbank wanted to introduce this plum to American fruit growers. Once he received twelve of the plum seedlings from Japan, he cross bred them with other stronger, but less tasty, varieties. Several generations later, Burbank produced the Santa Rosa plum—a flavorful, purple flesh plum that could grow well in California.
During his life, however, Burbank was a controversial figure. It was upsetting to some people that he would try to breed plants that were native to one area with plants that were native to another. What Burbank attempted seemed unnatural. Burbank seemed to work on an instinctive level when cross breeding plants. Many of the plants he developed served as ancestors to many of the vegetables and flowers we enjoy today.
Adapted from Here a Plant, There a Plant, Everywhere a Plant, Plant written by Robert Quackenbush; World Book Encyclopedia, 1984. www.cfaitc.org 35 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 George Washington Carver (1864-1943)
George Washington Carver was known as the “Plant Doctor” from a very early age. He was born in 1864 in Mississippi to parents who were slaves. Carver’s parents both died before he was old enough to know them.
Although Carver did not start his formal education until he was ten years old, he was always very curious and intelligent. He had a tremendous interest in plants. Having neither education nor science books, Carver taught himself about plants by wandering through woods and fields. He studied nature and learned about the habits of plant growth through careful observation and by trying different methods of making sick plants well again. He drew and painted pictures of plants in detail.
It was important to Carver to have an education. This meant that he would have to work hard so that he could afford to go to school. He worked as a farm hand, cook, and laundry helper. At first, when Carver attended college, he wanted to be an artist. Then his desire to learn more about botany grew. Botany is the study of plants. Carver first entered Simpson College in 1890 when he was 25 years old. After a couple of years at Simpson College, Carver was admitted to Iowa State College to study agriculture. He studied botany, chemistry, mathematics, bacteriology, zoology, and entomology. He also continued painting, winning several prizes, including an honorable mention from the World’s Fair in Chicago. By 1896, Carver received a bachelor’s degree and then a master’s degree in agriculture from Iowa State University.
Tuskegee Institute was an important part of George Washington Carver’s life. In 1896, he moved to Alabama to become a member of the faculty at Tuskegee. His first job was agricultural department head and director of a state agricultural station. In 1910, Carver became head of Tuskegee’s newly formed Department of Research. He spent the rest of his life at Tuskegee Institute.
George Washington Carver is remembered for many accomplishments. While at Iowa State College, he established a fungi collection that brought him fame. He was also able to persuade farmers in the South to grow crops other than cotton. Through research he had done, Carver knew that peanuts would be a good crop for Southern farmers to grow in a field that had just grown cotton. Cotton takes nitrogen out of the soil when it is growing. When only cotton is grown on the same soil year after year, the soil becomes very poor. Its lack of nitrogen makes it harder and harder for the farmer to grow a good crop of cotton. Peanuts put nitrogen back into the soil when they are growing. Peanut crops can help poor soil become nitrogen-rich and better for growing crops.
www.cfaitc.org 36 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 George Washington Carver (continued)
After an invasion of a pest very harmful to cotton called the boll weevil, farmers were eventually willing to try growing peanuts. With so many peanuts being grown, it became important to create products that used peanuts so the farmers could sell their crops. Carver developed over 300 products from peanuts, including peanut butter, soap, oil, and shaving cream. Carver also made more than 100 products from the sweet potato. He was one of the first chemurgists. Chemurgy is a field of science that finds new uses for plants, uses for plant waste products, and develops new plants for industrial use.
Peanut Plant Cotton Plant
George Washington Carver never married nor had a family. He donated his life savings of $33,000 to the George Washington Carver Foundation for Agricultural Research which was established in 1940 at Tuskegee. Today, the George Washington Carver Museum at the Tuskegee Institute houses Carver’s discoveries, collection, and paintings.
Adapted from African American Scientists by Robert C. Hayden; World Book Encyclopedia, 1984.
www.cfaitc.org 37 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Barbara McClintock (1902-1993)
Barbara McClintock was a disciplined scientist of keen intelligence. She was born the third of three daughters to Sara and Thomas Henry McClintock in Hartford, Connecticut in 1902. She also had a younger brother. In 1908, McClintock moved with her family to Brooklyn, New York, where she attended school.
Contrary to what was popular for women at the time, McClintock was determined to continue her education when she reached college age. She attended Cornell University in Ithica, New York in 1919. It was here that she truly became interested in science. McClintock received her Bachelor of Science degree in 1923. Her next stop was to register as a graduate student in the botany department. She was especially interested in the genetic study of maize, or Indian corn. Maize is a colorful kind of corn. On one ear there may be kernels of several colors and patterns. Geneticists can study generations of maize to learn how the colors are inherited. As a graduate student, McClintock was able to identify each of the ten chromosomes in maize. Chromosomes are inside cells and carry hereditary information. It was revolutionary that these microscopic comparisons could be made.
McClintock continued her education, earning her master’s degree in 1925 and her doctorate in 1927. Being a research scientist was McClintock’s choice of careers. Between 1929 and 1931 she published articles that told about her work. She and her colleagues were making progress in understanding the genetic make-up of maize. In 1931, she made a very important discovery. Her research proved that chromosomal material is exchanged during a special kind of cell division called meiosis. That same year she left Cornell. She continued her research for several years while being associated with several schools and research organizations. In 1941, she Corn Plant became a member of the Carnegie Institution at Cold Springs Harbor.
It was at Cold Springs Harbor that McClintock made the most important discovery of her career. When this discovery was made, McClintock had been studying maize for about 25 years. McClintock’s research seemed to show that genes on chromosomes could move. She also believed that when genes did “jump” they made a difference in the way the plant looked because of their new location on a chromosome. Her theory became known as “jumping genes.” This theory did not go along with what scientists who studied heredity and genetics had believed.
In 1951, McClintock published and presented her findings to a group of scientists at Cold Springs Harbor. Most of the scientists at the meeting did not understand how important
www.cfaitc.org 38 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Barbara McClintock (continued)
McClintock’s information was. It was not until the mid-1970s that McClintock’s research was given the credit it deserved. In 1983, she received a Nobel Prize for her research and discoveries. It is not common for a woman to receive a Nobel Prize. It is also not common for anyone to receive the Nobel Prize for work that was done 40 years before.
Barbara McClintock lived and continued to do research for ten years after she received her Nobel Prize. Geneticists have been able to learn about heredity and how genes work and influence the way plants, animals, and people are. Scientists are able to apply their knowledge in ways that would have seemed impossible at the beginning of McClintock’s career. Much of what is known today has its basis in the life long work of Barbara McClintock.
Adapted from Women and the Nobel Prize by Barbara Shiels; Winners Publishing Company, 1985.
www.cfaitc.org 39 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Gregor Mendel (1822-1884)
The science of genetics had its start with Gregor Mendel. He was born in Heinzendorf, Austria in 1822. His parents were peasant farmers. Mendel’s interest in plants and animals began on the farm where he learned about growing crops and beekeeping. He was an excellent student. In 1943 at the age of 21, Mendel entered the monastery of St. Thomas in Brunn, Austria, and became a priest in 1847.
Besides being a religious center, the monastery was an important place of science. Mendel was exposed to many scholars at St. Thomas. The monastery also had a fine botanical garden. Mendel taught biology and physics at the local high school for fourteen years beginning in 1853. During this time, he began his now-famous research on peas and heredity. When Mendel was elected abbot of the monastery in 1868, he found that his new administrative duties limited his time for research.
Mendel studied the expression of seven traits in the garden pea plants and their pea seeds. Three of the traits were seed shape, seed color, and plant height. Mendel cross-pollinated the plants, harvested the offspring, sorted and kept records of each separate trait. Through his studies, Mendel believed that traits are handed down through gametes, which contained hereditary elements. These elements are now called genes. He also found that some traits were dominant and some were recessive. Dominant traits are expressed in the plant while recessive traits may or may not be Pea Plant expressed in the present generation but may show up in future generations. Mendel did work with round and wrinkled seeds as well as tall and short plants. Mendel also determined that each parent plant hands down to offspring only one of its pair of genes for each trait.
In 1866, Mendel published what he had learned about heredity in pea plant heredity. Mendel presented his paper to fellow scientists. It was sent to more than 100 libraries, scientific societies, and universities. What he said in his paper was very complex. It used math in a way that scientists had not thought of before. That kind of math is now called probability and statistics. People did not understand how important Mendel’s work was until 30 years later. By that time, Mendel had been dead for sixteen years. Finally, in 1900, three scientists in three different countries, who were each working separately, rediscovered what Mendel stated in his paper. Then Mendel’s work received the recognition and value it deserved.
Adapted from Why You Look Like You Whereas I Tend to Look Like Me written by Charlotte Pomerantz; World Book Encyclopedia, 1984.
www.cfaitc.org 40 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Sally Fox (1956 to Present)
Little did San Francisco native Sally Fox know when she was a teenager that she would one day be a world-famous inventor of “naturally colored cotton.”
Fox, born in 1956, attended Cal-Poly, San Luis Obispo where she studied entomology – the study of insects. But her hobby of spinning yarn and thread from wool, cotton, and even dog hair, made her curious about spinning new kinds of fiber.
While working for a cotton breeder in Davis, California, Fox received some seeds for brown cotton. Most cotton is white with long, silky fibers well suited for spinning. It is cotton dyed various colors to make clothing and fabrics. boll Brown cotton naturally has short fibers which means it is not very easy to spin into yarns for clothing. leaf
Fox planted the brown cotton seeds in pots in her backyard and then crossbred them with white cotton seeds. Eventually the brown cottons began to get longer fibers; soon they were stem long enough to spin. To her surprise, a green cotton emerged which she also began to breed with white cotton. roots
In order to support her cotton enterprise, Fox worked as a Cotton Plant microbiologist at a biological insecticide plant. She kept breeding her new brown and green cotton and eventually began growing several acres of it near Bakersfield, California. When enough of the cotton was available, she began selling it to textile mills. It is now made into jeans, T-shirts, towels, and sheets.
Some of the cotton growers in the Bakersfield area were concerned that if Sally grew large fields of colored cotton, the pollen might travel to large white cotton fields and make the white cotton a different color. If this happened then the white cotton growers may not get as much money for their so-called “white cotton.” Due to the presented challenge and Ms. Fox’s desire to continue to grow colored cotton, she decided to relocate her operation.
Today Sally Fox has a farm and marketing operation in Wickenburg, Arizona. Her cottons are sold all over the world for use in a wide variety of cotton products. She is currently working on a new brick-red colored cotton. Her hope is to develop even more naturally colored cotton.
Information obtained by freelance journalist Beth Brookhart and curriculum specialist Pamela Emery.
www.cfaitc.org 41 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Catch Up on Tomato A Study of How Tomato Production Technology Has Changed Over the Years
Purpose Background Information
The purpose of this lesson is It is agriculture’s quest to grow more and better crops using fewer for students to see how resources. Many factors affect the production of a crop. Selective technological advances have breeding, genetic engineering, and better farming practices have benefited a particular enabled tomato growers to produce crops that are more plentiful, safer commodity. Skills in for the environment, more nutritious, and better tasting. collaborative working, critical thinking, and oral Natural selection is the process of having certain traits selected and communication are expressed over time. In natural selection, the traits that are passed on emphasized. from one generation to the next have to do with environmental conditions and other natural processes. One of the most noted studies Time of natural selection is Charles Darwin’s study of the finches on the Galapagos Islands. 3 forty-minute sessions Selective breeding is the process of Materials purposely crossing two plants, animals, bacteria, yeasts, or viruses with desired traits to produce offspring with those For each small group: desired traits. For example, a tomato plant that produces large tomatoes ! One of the seven Tomato might be crossed with a tomato plant Fact Sheets that produces sweet tomatoes in order (pages 47-54) to produce large, sweet tasting tomatoes. Selective breeding practices ! Tomato Display have occurred for a very long time. The Guidelines (pages 45-46) book Corn is Maize by Aliki (see page 67) describes the selective breeding that occurred to produce the sweet ! Art supplies, as needed, to corn we eat today. create a visual representation to share Genetic engineering is a process where genetic material (DNA) is with the class taken from one organism and inserted into the genetic code of another organism. This science has progressed because scientists now know For each student: that a gene for a certain trait is a universal gene. That is to say, a gene for the color red in bacteria can also produce a red color in other ! What I Learned . . . and species of living organisms. The MacGregor tomato was created by Still Want to Know! using bacterial genes to manipulate a tomato gene which causes (page 55) softening in tomatoes. Using advanced scientific techniques, the gene for ripening is removed from the tomato DNA and reinserted backwards rendering it inactive. Genetic engineering processes are very complex and can be studied by students when they take advanced science courses in high school.
You and your students will take a closer look at the history of the tomato and observe how various scientific techniques have produced
www.cfaitc.org 42 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Catch Up on Tomato A Study of How Tomato Production Technology Has Changed Over the Years
Content Standards the fresh market and processing tomatoes farmers grow today. Many social issues related to technological advances can be discussed Grade 5 throughout this activity.
Reading/Language Arts Procedure Reading ! 2.1, 2.3, 2.4 Writing ! 1.6 1. Make several copies of the tomato fact sheets. Gather the art Written and Oral Language supplies you would like your students to use for the development of Conventions ! 1.0 their visual aids. Listening and Speaking 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.2 2. As a class, read and discuss the Catch Up on Tomato History reading provided in this packet. Grade 6 3. Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a different Reading/Language Arts tomato fact sheet. Have the student groups read and discuss the Reading ! 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 2.3, information. 2.4 Writing ! 1.1 4. After making sure that each group understands the facts and focus Written and Oral Language of their fact sheet, distribute the Tomato Display Guidelines to Conventions ! 1.0 each group. Have each student group decide how they will present Listening and Speaking their knowledge to the class. 1.0, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 2.2 5. Allow the students time throughout the week to design and Grade 7 complete their display.
Reading/Language Arts 6. At an appropriate time, have the students explain their displays to Reading ! 1.0, 1.3, 2.0, 2.6 the class and complete the What I Learned . . . and Still Want to Writing ! 1.0, 1.3, 1.7 Know! activity. Written and Oral Language Conventions ! 1.0 7. Share the student displays with the rest of the student body, Listening and Speaking parents, and faculty by placing them in the library or other 1.0, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5 appropriate location. Variations
! Have each student group research and make a display of the history and development of a different food or fiber commodity.
! Use the visual representations to make a large bulletin board or time line about tomato development.
www.cfaitc.org 43 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Catch Up on Tomato A Study of How Tomato Production Technology Has Changed Over the Years
Extensions
! Use calculators to project quantitative increases in the production of crops. For example, if production improvements are known for one plant, a calculator may be used to help the student discover production increases per acre.
! Collect news articles about new developments in tomato production and/or other commodities. Discuss how technological advances are affecting the world’s food supply.
! Research the development and production of tomatoes and other crops in other countries. Determine whether their developments are similar to those in the United States.
! Write a news article or comic strip about an imaginary future development in tomato production.
! Write a tomato grower. Have this person discuss his/her operation and how advances in technology have assisted or challenged tomato production.
! Have a tomato product tasting party where students try various tomato dishes using spaghetti, salsa, and fried green tomatoes!
! Read the book 88 Pounds of Tomatoes (see page 68) and have students do related math problems.
www.cfaitc.org 44 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Tomato Display Guidelines
In your small groups, follow the procedure described below.
1. Read and discuss your tomato fact sheet.
2. Write down at least five new things you learned from your fact sheet that you would like to share with others.
3. Discuss and write down how the facts have affected the tomato industry and consumers.
4. Discuss any challenges your fact sheet mentions.
5. As a group, decide how you would like to share the information you have gathered. Some possible ideas are listed below. You may use one or more of the suggestions or an idea of your own.
! Cartoon strip ! Charts or graphs ! News editorial ! Pictures ! Radio news report ! Television news report ! Science fair display ! Before and after pictures ! Diorama ! Skit with props
1. Organize the appearance of your final product and decide what each person’s responsibilities are. Have your plan approved by your teacher before beginning your final product.
2. Prepare your display, making sure you have enough time to complete your work by the deadline.
3. Determine what each person will say when presenting your display to the rest of the class. Practice your presentation.
4. Present your display to the class and listen to the other presentations.
www.cfaitc.org 45 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Catch Up on Tomato History
People used to think tomatoes were poisonous and for years no one ate them. Let’s learn a little more about the tomato’s history.
Tomatoes first grew as wild, cherry-sized berries in the South American Andes. But the tomatoes we eat today were developed in Mexico. Tomatoes are known as a “tomatils” in Mexico. People kept pollinating the large sized cherry tomato flowers with other large sized cherry tomato flowers so the fruit would be larger. This process is called selective breeding.
The tomato traveled to Europe and returned to the Americas with the Conquistadors. In Italy, the tomato appeared heart-shaped and was called poma amoris, which means “love apple.”
The American colonists believed that since the tomatoes were related to the deadly nightshade plant, they were poisonous and avoided eating them. In 1820, Robert Gibbon Johnson bravely stood on the New Jersey courthouse steps and ate a tomato! He never got sick and lived to the age of 79!
Since then, the tomato has become increasingly popular, not only as a fresh product in salads but in many ethnic food dishes. Italian and Mexican cuisine feature tomato recipes including salsa, pasta, and tortilla sauces.
There are two kinds of tomatoes grown by farmers: fresh market tomatoes, which are purchased at grocery stores for use in salads and other dishes, and processing tomatoes, which are used to make tomato sauce, catsup, salsa, and other processed products. Gener- ally, fresh market tomatoes are picked by hand while processing tomatoes are picked by machine.
You will learn more interesting information about the tomato as you work in your teams on a tomato project.
Information obtained from Blue Corn and Square Tomatoes by Rebecca Rupp; Story Communications, Inc., 1987.
www.cfaitc.org 46 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Tomato Planting Fact Sheet #1
Tomato seed can cost from $40 to $865 per pound, depending on the type and variety of seed to be planted. The more expensive seeds produce tomatoes with specific characteristics such as thicker skins or less juice. Seeds are collected from tomatoes that have been grown in greenhouses or from fields that are carefully monitored. Farmers plant one-half to one pound of seed per acre.
Processing tomatoes are planted by putting seeds in the ground or by planting a small tomato plant, called a transplant, into the ground. The transplants are grown from a seed in a greenhouse. In California, tomatoes are planted from January through June. Processing tomato farmers have contracts with tomato processing companies that make products such as tomato paste and catsup. The contracts state what variety of tomato and at what time the companies want the tomatoes at the processing plant. This is so the processing plant does not have too many or not enough tomatoes at any given time. The farmer must predict when to plant the seeds so tomatoes are ready at the appropriate harvest time. When the seedlings reach two to three inches in height, farm workers thin out the plants so they are six to ten inches apart from each other. Plants that are too close together compete for nutrients and the plants will produce smaller tomatoes.
Fresh market tomatoes are the kind people put into salads. Farmers purchase seedlings from a supplier and the seedlings are placed into the ground by a special planter pulled by a tractor. Planting seedlings rather than seeds insures a higher rate of survival. This, then, insures a greater yield of fresh market tomatoes per acre. Fresh market tomatoes are more expensive than processing tomatoes because of the greater labor involved at the farm, during transport, and storage.
Both types of tomatoes, processing and fresh market, are irrigated six to ten times during the growing season. The farmer stops irrigation two to four weeks before harvest. The halt of irrigation makes the vines die back for easy harvest and makes the tomatoes firmer because they contain less water. Processing tomato farmers get paid more if their tomatoes have less juice. The tomatoes are simmered to remove water to make a paste—the less extra water there is, the more paste produced. Fresh market tomato growers need to make sure their tomatoes are not too mushy for transport.
Information obtained from Bruce Rominger, a tomato grower in Winters, California; and Andy Kennedy, a tomato field representative and buyer for the Colusa County Canning Company in Williams, California. www.cfaitc.org 47 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Tomatoes and Your Health Fact Sheet #2
Even though tomatoes were at one time thought to be poisonous, they have been a common household food in the United States since the colonial days. Thomas Jefferson grew tomatoes in his garden at Monticello.
The reason tomatoes were once thought to be poisonous is because they belong to the nightshade family. Members of this botanical family, including potatoes, tobacco, and petunias, contain alkaloids. Alkaloids, such as nicotine, strychnine, and morphine, can be quite toxic. Tomato plant leaves and stems contain the alkaloid tomatine. It is present only in small quantities in green tomatoes and disappears as the tomatoes ripen. Historically, people did not know this and considered the tomato inedible. Nutrition Facts Tomatoes are eaten fresh and in processed forms including Serving Size 1 Medium Tomato tomato paste, catsup, salsas, and sauces. Since 1994, California (5.5 oz./148 g) has produced about 10 million tons of processing tomatoes on Amount Per Serving 300,000 acres of land each year. Eighty-five percent of Calories 35
American households purchase fresh tomatoes each year. Fat 1g Ninety-nine percent of American households eat processed Carbohydrates 6g Dietary Fiber 1g tomato products, such as catsup and tomato sauce, each year. Sodium 10mg Protein 1g
Tomatoes, as compared to other foods such as broccoli and %U.S. RDA spinach, are not high ranking as a source of vitamins. A major Vitamin A 20 study of fruits and vegetables ranks tomatoes sixteenth as a Citamin C 40 Calcium * source of vitamin A and thirteenth as a source of vitamin C. But Iron 2 since people eat so many, tomatoes rank third in consumption * less than 2 percent of U.S. RDA as a source of both vitamins A and C. Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Studies show that processing tomatoes are the leading source of lycopene in the American diet. Lycopene is an antioxidant, a type of chemical that blocks damage to cells in the human body. Antioxidants such as lycopene help prevent certain kinds of cancer.
In most cases, tomatoes are used in cooking. However there are a few interesting uses for the tomato plant and fruit. Some people believe that putting tomato juice on surfaces (like your dog’s fur!) that have been exposed to skunk “perfume” removes the skunk odor. Tomato pulp salve was used in colonial days to heal certain skin irritations. The alkaline tomatine is used medicinally today in ointments for the treatment of fungal diseases. Perhaps you have heard of some interesting uses for tomatoes or tomato plants.
Information obtained from Begert’s Nutritional and Physical Fitness by George M. Briggs, W.B. Saunders Company, 1979.
www.cfaitc.org 48 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Improvements in Tomato Harvesting Fact Sheet #3
Most tomatoes Americans eat are grown in California, Florida, and Mexico. Ninety-five percent of the processing tomatoes and about 75 percent of all tomatoes grown in the United States are grown in California. In 2000, California harvested 10.2 million tons of processing tomatoes—over 290,000 acres of California land was planted with tomatoes. California is now the nation’s tomato capital.
Many major changes have been made in the tomato plant during the last 40 years. Some of these improvements have been made through genetic engineering—where a gene from one organism is inserted into another organism or where an identified tomato gene is reversed and reinserted. Others have been made by selectively breeding tomato plants that have desired traits.
With increasing farm costs, a reduction in available land to farm, and a continuing increase in human population, farmers are always concerned on how much food they can produce on a certain plot of land. The amount they produce is called their yield. One way tomato yields have increased is through the injection of a gene in tomatoes which produces “uniform ripening.” This eliminates a dark green “shoulder” that sometimes appears on tomatoes. It also makes all of the tomatoes on the vine ripen at one time. This makes it easier for pickers since they only have to go into the fields once rather than several times. Since less labor is involved, the price of the fresh market tomatoes can be cheaper. Would a home gardener want all of his/her tomatoes to ripen at once?
Another development is the introduction of a gene which causes the tomato plant to “self prune.” This means the tomato plant does not grow too bushy and widespread. The branches of this special tomato plant only grow a certain length. The result is a plant that is easier to harvest by machine.
Fresh tomatoes are picked by hand. Processing tomatoes are picked by mechanical harvesters. Not only has genetic engineering helped in the harvesting of tomatoes, but
www.cfaitc.org 49 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Improvements in Tomato Harvesting (continued) Fact Sheet #3 advances in the technology used on harvesters have helped as well. For example, a special instrument called a “color sorter” is put on the harvesters. This machine is able to identify green tomatoes that pass by it. When a green tomato is identified, an electronic signal triggers a lever to push the green tomato off of the harvester and back into the field. Hand sorting is still required to some extent however, because sometimes a tomato may be red on one side and green on the other and can be missed by the color sorter.
At the University of California in Davis, scientists selectively bred a more rectangular shaped processing tomato, so it could more easily be harvested by machine.
Information obtained from Dona Mast, a tomato grower in Esparto, California, and Andy Kennedy, a tomato field representative and buyer for the Colusa County Canning Company in Williams, California.
www.cfaitc.org 50 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Selective Breeding Produces Desirable Processing Tomatoes Fact Sheet #4
Over many years, plant breeders have worked to develop tomatoes that have certain characteristics. This fact sheet gives you some information on how selective breeding— when two plants with certain characteristics are bred on purpose—has produced tomatoes with characteristics that help in the processing tomato industry.
One of the most beneficial developments in tomato technology has been the development of processing tomatoes that can be machine harvested. Tomato breeders wanted a small, compact plant with tomatoes whose shape and skin texture could handle machine picking. After years of diligent breeding, a tomato that was “square round” was developed. It had a shape that could be picked by machine and a tough skin. Machine harvesting meant farmers saved the cost of expensive hand labor to pick tomatoes and the fruit could be harvested quickly.
Tomato breeders have also produced a wide range of tomato varieties through selective breeding. One variety of tomato has a small amount of juice, has good peel ability, and the ability to hold up after being diced. These meaty tomatoes are used to make tomato paste. This tomato paste is either sold in stores as tomato paste or is reconstituted (water added back into it) to produce tomato sauces and catsup during the off season. This makes tomato products available year-round. Another variety of tomato is easy to peel and has a little more juice that other varieties. This type of tomato is used to make tomato juice and tomato sauce right after harvest.
Another feature that has been selectively bred into tomatoes is the size of the stem scar—the part of the tomato where it attaches to the stem. A smaller stem scar makes the tomatoes easier to harvest and also provides a better product. It may not seem that a 1/4" reduction in stem scar size could increase the amount of tomato paste produced by a tomato, but imagine if millions of tomatoes had a smaller stem scar (like a truck load full). Then the stem scar size does make a difference!
There are other things that have been selectively bred into (or out of) tomatoes as well. Your classmates will learn about some of the other characteristics and share them with you.
Information obtained from Andy Kennedy, a tomato field representative and buyer for Colusa County Canning Company in Williams, California; and Donna Mitten, a genetic engineering consultant.
www.cfaitc.org 51 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Producing Tomato Plants That Resist Pests Fact Sheet #5
Controlling pests is always a challenge in agriculture. A pest is a living organism that is unwanted in a particular location at a particular time. Pests include molds, bacteria, rodents, weeds, and viruses as well as insects and spiders. Pests are controlled in many ways. Sometimes chemicals are used. Other times farmers mechanically remove pests with a cultivator or by hand with a hoe. Biological methods are also used. That is when a living organism helps to control a pest. The most effective method of pest control is to monitor a field or crop and to take action before the pests become unmanageable.
There are numerous pests that affect tomatoes. The most common pests include verticillium wilt, fussarium wilt, nematode root rot, bacterial speck, bacterial spot, mold, and the notorious tomato hornworm. Any of these pests can destroy a crop in a short period of time.
Selective breeding has successfully helped tomatoes resist fussarium wilt. Fussarium wilt causes tomato plants to wilt and eventually die. Researchers discovered that some tomato plants were naturally resistant to fussarium wilt. The scientists kept breeding the tomato plants that were resistant to this fungus with other tomato plants that had the preferred skin thickness and taste. Eventually they ended up with lots of tomato seeds that would be planted in large fields. The tomatoes that grew were resistant to fussarium wilt and had the characteristics the farmers preferred. This procedure of crossing tomatoes with certain characteristics with tomatoes that had other desired characteristics has assisted farmers in managing other pests such as nematode root knot (a small round worm that eats the roots of tomato plants), another type of wilt called verticillium wilt, and bacterial speck.
Genetic engineering has also assisted in making tomato plants pest resistant. Geneticists have been able to genetically engineer plants that are resistant to certain viruses. They have take what are called “coat protein” genes from viruses and inserted them into tomato plants. This gene makes the plant create an antibody type substance called a coat protein that does not allow the virus to reproduce. The tomato mosaic virus is one virus to which certain varieties of tomato plants are resistant because of this process.
Information obtained from Dona Mast, a tomato grower in Esparto, California; Andy Kennedy, a tomato field representative and buyer for the Colusa County Canning Company in Williams, California; and Charles Rivara, the director of the California Tomato Research Institute.
www.cfaitc.org 52 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Future Plans for the Tomato Fact Sheet #6
Scientists have realized that tomatoes used in processed foods need to have different characteristics than tomatoes eaten fresh. Therefore, there are now two major classes of tomatoes—processing tomatoes and fresh market tomatoes. Plant breeders and geneticists have drastically improved the quality of tomatoes over the last 40 years. However, there is always the goal to develop the “ultimate” tomato. The goal for processing tomatoes is to develop one that can easily be peeled, diced, and sliced, as well as be meaty and have good flavor and texture. In fresh market tomatoes, the goal is to develop a tomato that can withstand transport, stay fresh for long periods of time, taste delicious, and be easily sliced. Scientists continue to do research in these areas.
Research still continues to make tomato plants that can resist pests, including the common tomato hornworm and weeds; tolerate small amounts of water or water that is salty; and produce more tomatoes per plant. Many of these varieties exist to some degree but must be improved upon. These types of changes in tomato production are being looked at because the ever-increasing human population and the reduction of farmland, due to the increase in population, will make it difficult to produce enough food in the future.
Another goal of the tomato industry is the creation of new tomato products. Amazingly, salsa has surpassed catsup in consumption. This is due to its diversity of uses. The production of canned salsas is a recent development in tomato history as is the production of ready-to-use spaghetti sauces, Mexican sauces, and sun-dried tomatoes. Believe it or not, chocolate covered dried tomatoes are being tested in market right now! We will have to wait and see what new tomato products are made available to consumers.
Farmers and researchers have realized the need to maintain a wide variety of tomato breeds. This will insure that tomatoes will be able to survive over time even as environmental conditions change. The key to survival is to have a large gene pool of a species. If the gene pool is large enough, there is bound to be a particular variety of tomato that can withstand a certain disease, climate, or water condition. Scientists travel all around the world gathering seeds that live in a variety of climates and conditions. Unusually colored and shaped tomatoes have become very popular at restaurants and farmers markets. This trend is sure to continue.
What do you think scientific researchers, product inventors and farmers should work on, regarding tomatoes, in the future?
Information compiled by Donna Mitten, a genetic engineering consultant. www.cfaitc.org 53 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 This and That About Tomatoes Fact Sheet #7
Your classmates are learning about one particular aspect of tomatoes. You are going to learn a variety of little facts about tomatoes.
Tomatoes have a variety of uses. There is a history to many of these uses.
! In 1800, Napoleon’s chef prepared a dish of crayfish, eggs, tomatoes, and garlic to celebrate his master’s victory over the Italians at the Battle of Marengo. The dish is now called Chicken Marengo. ! Catsup (ketchup) got its name in the 1760s from the Malayan word ketchup meaning a spicy pickled fish sauce. The first catsup was made from walnuts—not tomatoes! ! The first formal recipe for tomato catsup was published in the Sugar House Book in 1801. It explained how to prepare the tomatoes and mix them with many spices. It called for 100 tomatoes to make 4-5 bottles of the sauce. Today, about 10-20 processing tomatoes make one bottle of catsup. ! In 1876, Henry Heinz made famous the catsup we know today. ! In 1897, Joseph Campbell produced the first condensed soup—tomato soup. John Dorrence, the person who figured out how to condense it, made a weekly salary of $7.59.
Other Interesting Facts About the Tomato
! In 1820, The Landreth Seed Company introduced tomato seeds to home gardeners. ! There are some tomatoes in the Galapagos Islands that can grow right on the edge of the ocean—they are salt tolerant. ! There is a drought resistant variety of tomato native to western Peru. It survives purely on the water it gets from fog! ! There are tomatoes in Siberia that can grow in very cold temperatures—38 degrees Fahrenheit. ! Some of the largest tomatoes have grown to be over five pounds each! ! Most tomato plants grow about 5-10 pounds of fruit. However, there is a Japanese wire cage that has allowed some plants to produce over 100 pounds of tomatoes from one plant. ! There are a wide variety of tomato colors—red, orange, yellow, and even purple.
Information obtained from Blue Corn and Square Tomatoes by Rebecca Rupp; Storey Communication, Inc., 1987.
www.cfaitc.org 54 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 What I Learned . . . and Name ______Still Want to Know! Date______
In three or more well written paragraphs, write what you have learned about the tomato industry and what other information you would still like to know about it.
______
www.cfaitc.org 55 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 www.cfaitc.org 56 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Background Information on Biotechnology
While the study of genetics and biotechnology is complicated, there are many simple components that can be incorporated into the classroom. The following information can help you better understand the subject matter and relay this information to your students.
What is biotechnology?
Biotechnology includes a number of technologies, which use living organisms (such as microbes, plants, fungi, or animals), to produce useful products, processes, and services. Production can be carried out by microorganisms such as yeast or bacteria or by chemicals produced from organisms, such as enzymes. The use of yeast in bread making is a form of biotechnology. The use of bacteria and molds in cheese– making is another example of simple biotechnology. In the 1970s, a new type of biotechnology was developed: genetic engineering, also known as recombinant DNA technology or transgenics.
What is genetic engineering?
Genetic engineering is a process in which genetic material (DNA) is taken from one organism and inserted into the cells of another organism, often of a different species. Genetic engineering can also be a rearrangement of the location of genes. The new “altered” organism then makes new substances or performs new functions based on its new DNA. For example, the protein insulin, used in the treatment of diabetes, can now be produced in large quantities in a laboratory by genetically modified bacteria and yeast. Insulin was formerly extracted from the pancreas of pigs.
What can genetic engineering do?
! It can improve the ability of an organism to do something it already does. For example, an adjustment in the amino acid balance in a particular corn variety improves its storage ability. A genetically enhanced rice variety is resistant to bacterial blight due to the insertion of an Xa21 gene that increases its resistance to the disease-causing microbes.
! It can suppress or stop an organism from doing something it already does. For example, the gene that codes for the softening of tomatoes is “turned-off” in a genetically modified tomato variety. This allows the tomato to stay on the vine longer, producing more flavorful fruit that is firm enough to easily transport.
! It can make an organism do something new that it has never done before. For example, bacteria and yeast have been genetically www.cfaitc.org 57 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Background Information on Biotechnology
modified to produce chymosin, an enzyme used to make the milk form curds in cheese production. A new genetically enhanced rice, called “Golden Rice,” has been modified to make beta-carotene, the precursor for Vitamin A. This advancement may end vitamin A deficiency in children worldwide, one of the leading causes of blindness and other health problems.
What is a gene?
A gene is a sequence of DNA, which serves as a blueprint for the production of proteins in all living things. Thousands of genes make up chromosomes. DNA is found in the nuclei of cells with the exception of bacteria and viruses. Bacteria have their DNA in nuclear areas called nucleoids; viruses have their DNA coiled up in the cytoplasm of cells. DNA is made of sugars, phosphates, and four nitrogen-containing bases: adenosine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine. A gene codes for a specific protein or has an assigned function.
What is a protein?
Proteins are chains of amino acids that perform the necessary functions of living organisms. When a gene is “expressed” that means it is translated into protein. Proteins are essential chemicals for cell structure and activities such as reproduction, movement, and metabolism or defense (antibiotics). Some proteins perform specific functions themselves (such as insulin and muscle protein); others cause the production of cell components (such as enzyme proteins that assist in making carbohydrates and fats); and others are structural such as flagella and cilia.
What are some examples of genetically modified products?
! Human growth hormone, which is produced naturally in the pituitary gland, can now be produced through genetic engineering technology. There are now 84 genetically engineered biopharmaceuticals approved for use in the United States or Europe.
! A vaccine for wild animals that protects against the rabies virus.
! Oil-eating bacteria that efficiently clean up oil and gasoline spills.
! A genetically altered canola (rapeseed) plant, which produces healthier edible oils.
www.cfaitc.org 58 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Background Information on Biotechnology
! A tomato that delays the onset of softening and rotting.
! Plants, such as cotton, that are resistant to herbicides allowing farmers to kill weeds without harming the crop.
! Varieties of fruits and vegetables that can be altered to resist plant viruses.
! A cheese that can be made using bacterial-fermented rennet (an enzyme formerly taken from calves’ stomachs).
! Plants that produce insecticidal proteins called Bt toxin thereby reducing the need for chemical pesticides.
! Rice that produces beta-carotene, the precursor of vitamin A, can be consumed and reduce blindness and other diseases.
! It is estimated that in 1999, 57% of the soybeans, 38% of the cotton and 30% of the corn planted in the United States were modified by some form of biotechnology.
How do we know that genetically modified plant foods are safe?
The United States has the safest food supply in the world. Advanced technology, as well as standards and regulations set by food producers and governmental agencies, have allowed the United States to maintain its safe food record. The following information will help you better understand the genetic engineering food safety guidelines.
Before any plant food developed through biotechnology is made available to the public, it undergoes a safety evaluation. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in 1992, issued testing guidelines for genetically modified foods. The specific policies are under the title “Foods Derived From New Plant Varieties.” There are different policies for products other than plants. The genetically modified plant food product guidelines are summarized as follows:
! Genetically modified plant foods shall be regulated the same as traditionally produced foods.
! The food products will be judged on their individual safety, allergenicity, toxicity, etc., rather than on the methods used to produce them.
www.cfaitc.org 59 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Background Information on Biotechnology
! Any new food additive produced via biotechnology will be evaluated for safety employing the same guidelines used for a traditional food additive (such as food coloring).
! Any food product that is found to contain material that could render it unsafe will not be allowed to enter commerce.
! If the introduced product contains an allergen or if the production of the food has altered its nutritional value, then the FDA may require informational labels.
In addition to the FDA, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are also committed to ensuring the safety of bio-engineered foods.
As is the case for any food product, genetically modified food found to contain substances not in keeping with the safety guidelines may be removed from the marketplace by the FDA. The United Nation’s World Health Organization continues to debate the policies revolving around genetically altered food products.
How do we know if genetically modified plants are safe for the environment?
In order to be sure that genetically modified crop plants are safe, the USDA oversees all field-testing of genetically modified products. Before a new crop can move into commercial production, the USDA reviews the field-testing results. Field-testing results and studies must demonstrate that plants altered using biotechnology react with ecosystems in the same ways as their traditionally produced plant counterparts. Detailed research in this area continues.
What are some risks associated with genetically modified plants?
As with any technology, risks must be considered. Some criticisms of genetic engineering practices include the possibility that modifications in the genetic make-up of the plant could result in some type of unknown toxin. It is believed that the odds of that occurring in normal plant breeding and selection are far greater than that occurring in genetic engineering. Genetic engineering involves only the movement of specific genes with specific functions. In traditional plant breeding, crosses between different varieties and wild relatives result in the transfer of many genes.
www.cfaitc.org 60 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Background Information on Biotechnology
The potential of gene flow to closely-related plant species is a risk when the gene expressed is in the pollen. That could mean that herbicide resistance genes inserted into beneficial plants could be passed to closely related weed species. New methods are being developed to prevent this from occurring and detailed research continues.
The science of biotechnology is carefully monitored and the risks associated with any products and processes, such as allergens and ecological impacts are constantly addressed. Detailed papers and transcriptions from World Health Organization meetings can be viewed on several of the Web sites listed on pages 65-66.
How can genetic engineering benefit agriculture?
With increasing food and fiber needs around the world and the loss of farmland to urbanization, farmers must constantly find ways to increase yields. As farmers continue to look for renewable and safe ways to control pests and fertilize plants, geneticists continue their research to assist agriculture.
! Disease resistant plants are being developed through genetic modification. For example, mungbeans, a staple in Asia, can now be grown without the use of pesticides. Strawberry plants have been genetically altered to be resistant to root pests and fungi. The papaya industry in Hawaii was saved by a single gene insertion for viral coat protein. The papaya plants are now resistant to the papaya mosaic virus.
! Herbicide tolerant cotton has been developed through genetic engineering. The herbicide bromoxynil is degraded in the cotton plant. This allows the cotton field to be sprayed with bromoxynil to kill weeds without affecting the cotton plant itself. Roundup® resistant corn and cotton has also been developed. These methods of weed control are very efficient and greatly reduce the total amount of herbicide used on crops while increasing the yield of cotton or corn per acre.
! Genetic engineering is helping farmers diversify their crops. For example, ethanol produced from plant oils such as canola and soybeans can be used as a fuel or fuel additive, and starches genetically added to potatoes can be used to produce biodegradable plastics. Uses such as these also reduce the nation’s dependence on fossil fuels.
www.cfaitc.org 61 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Background Information on Biotechnology
What are the basic procedures for producing a genetically modified plant product?
The actual procedures for producing a genetically engineered product are very complex and vary from product to product. However, most genetically engineered products are produced using the basic steps described below:
1. Trait Identification: Traits of organisms are identified.
2. Gene Discovery: Genes with a desired function are identified.
3. Gene Cloning: The desired gene is placed into a bacterial cell (usually Agrobacterium) and, as the bacteria reproduce, the desired gene is also copied and reproduced.
4. Gene Verification: Researchers study the copies of the gene using molecular techniques to verify that the replicated gene is precisely what is wanted.
5. Gene Implantation: Using a bacterium or gene gun, the desired DNA (gene) is transferred into the chromosomes of plant cells in nature.
6. Cell Regeneration: Researchers select the plant cells that contain the new gene and regenerate whole plants from the selected plant cells.
7. Testing New Plant: Laboratory and field-testing occur to verify the function and safety of the new plants.
8. Seed Production: Seeds with the desired traits are produced using standards set for specific crop production.
Why is genetic engineering a popular science?
Genetic engineering offers new approaches to the solutions of problems caused by an increasing world population—the increase in demand for food, energy, and healthcare. It allows the production of scarce biologi- cal substances, new and better pharmaceuticals, and more nutritious foods. It can provide new sources of energy through the production of biofuels (fuels produced by plant oils) and improve crop yields. Genetic engineering is another tool available to meet challenges in these areas.
www.cfaitc.org 62 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Teacher Resources and References
Ag Experience Biotechnology Industry Organization Teaching kits providing materials and activities for A variety of basic and detailed information on hands-on lessons about agriculture. Request a biotechnology including genetic engineering is brochure. available.
Ag Experience Biotechnology Industry Organization 3144 North G Street, #125-141 1625 K Street NW, Suite 1100 Merced, CA 94340 Washington, DC 20006 (209) 358-9057 (202) 857-0244 Fax: (209) 384-1378 Fax: (202) 857-0237 E-Mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.bio.org
Agricultural Research Service Magazine California Foundation for Agriculture in the Published monthly by the Agricultural Research Classroom Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Provides a variety of programs and resources, this magazine reports on current research in the which can increase the understanding of agricul- agricultural industry. Free one-year subscription to ture and its impact in today’s world. Commodity schools and libraries. and natural resource fact and activity sheets, lesson plans and teacher and student programs are Agricultural Research Magazine available. Request a teacher packet. 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, 1-2232C Beltsville, MD 20705-5130 California Foundation for Agriculture in the (301) 504-1660 Classroom Fax: (301) 504-1641 2300 River Plaza Drive Web Site: www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR Sacramento, CA 95833 (800) 700- 2482 Fax: (916) 561-5697 American Quarter Horse Association Web Site: www.cfaitc.org Booklets and posters with general information, anatomy and history of the American Quarter Horse. List of free loan videos also available. CDE Press The Content Standards for California Public American Quarter Horse Association Schools and subject matter frameworks are Post Office Box 200 available through this company and are listed on Amarillo, TX 79168 the California Department of Education Web site. (806) 376-4811 Fax: (806) 349-6409 CDE Press, Sales Office Web Site: www.aqha.com California Department of Education Post Office Box 271 Sacramento, CA 95812-0271 (916) 445-1260 Fax: (916) 323-0823 Web Site: www.cde.ca.gov
www.cfaitc.org 63 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Teacher Resources and References
Ridin’, Ropin, & Wranglin’ A 20-minute video about cowboys and cattle. Six lessons and an interactive unit teach students math, language arts, stewardship, and more. A detailed directory lists books, videos, and more to help teachers and students learn more about the life of the modern day cowboy.
Ridin’, Ropin’, & Wranglin’ Quality Video Service 2936 Paradise Road Modesto, CA 95358 (800) 341-1071 Fax: (209) 526-9571 E-Mail: [email protected]
Seeds of Success Free vegetable and flower seeds for California schools as well as non-profit organizations serving low-income communities in California. Seeds are sent once a year, in early spring, along with growing instructions and a copy of the Planting Seeds, Growing Minds curriculum. Seeds of Success is a partnership with California Women for Agriculture.
Grades K-12, adult Free
Seeds of Success c/o Michelle and Noelle Campbell Post Office Box 321 Clarksburg, CA 95612
www.cfaitc.org 64 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Related Web Sites
This list is offered as an informational resource only. It contains Web sites established by various entities and, at the time of printing, included information on pest management or a subject matter related to the instructional materials unit Where’d You Get Those Genes? The list is not considered to be all-inclusive. The entities or contents of the sites on this list are not necessarily endorsed by the California Foundation for Agriculture or by the authors of Where’d You Get Those Genes?
4-H Virtual Farm www.ext.vt.edu/resources/4h/virtualfarm
About Produce.com Aboutproduce.com
Ag Experience www.galaxymall.com/education/teaching
Agricultural Research Magazine www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR
American Quarter Horse Association www.aqha.com
Biotechnology Industry Organization www.bio.org/food&ag/foodwelcome.html
Biotechnology Information Center, National Agricultural Library Warp.nal.usda.gov/bic
Broccoli Town, USA www.broccoli.com
California Farm Bureau Federation www.cfbf.com
California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom www.cfaitc.org
California Thoroughbred Breeders Association www.ctba.com
California Tomato Commission www.tomato.org
California Tomato Growers Association www.ctga.org www.cfaitc.org 65 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Related Web Sites
Council for Biotechnology Information www.whybiotech.com
Monsanto www.monsanto.com
Peanut Butter www.peanutbutterlovers.com
University of California Biotechnology Program www.biotech.ucdavis.edu
University of California Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu
www.cfaitc.org 66 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Related Literature
Aliki. Corn is Maize. Harper & Row, 1976. The story of how ancient Indian farmers discover a wild grass plant, use it in their lives and how they eventually share it with the new settlers of America.
Busenberg, Bonnie. Vanilla, Chocolate & Strawberry. Lerner Publications Co., 1994. Describes the history, today’s uses, and chemistry of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry flavorings.
Edback, Arlene. Peanut Butter. Lerner Publishing, 1994. Describes how peanut butter is made, from the cultivation of peanuts through filling jars with the nutty spread. Includes simple, no-bake recipes.
Fine, Edith Hope. Barbara McClintock: Nobel Geneticist. Enslow Publishers, Inc., 1998. Presents the life and career of the geneticist who spent many years studying cells of maize and, in 1983, was awarded the Nobel Prize in physiology and medicine.
Fussell, Betty. The Story of Corn. Alfred A. Knopf, 1992. The story of corn—the myths and history, the culture and agriculture, the art and science of this crop.
Genick, Larry. The Cartoon Guide to Genetics. Harper Collins Publishers, 1991. A humorous look and view of genetics.
Hausherr, Rosemarie. What Food is This? Scholastic, 1994. Fish, sausage, carrots and many more foods are detailed in this tale of food origins.
Hayden, Robert C. African American Scientists. World Book Encyclopedia, 1984. Highlights African American scientists including George Washington Carver.
Herren, Ray V. and Roy L. Donahue. The Agricultural Dictionary. Delmar Publishers, Inc., 1991. Provides definitions of agricultural terms.
Hughes, Meredith Sayles. Cool as a Cucumber, Hot as a Pepper. Lerner Publications Company, 1999. Background information on many vegetables which are scientifically fruits. Includes colorful photographs and historical information.
Hughes, Meredith Sayles. Green Power: Leaf & Flower Vegetables. Lerner Publications Company, 2001. Contains colorful photographs and interesting information on vegetables that are leaves or flowers.
www.cfaitc.org 67 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Related Literature
Johnson, Sylvia A. Tomatoes, Potatoes, Corn and Beans. Simon and Schuster, 1997. Describes many foods native to the Americas including corn, peppers, peanuts, and chocolate.
Koch, Maryjo. Seed Leaf Flower Fruit. Collins Publishers, 1999. Wisdom and wit blend with loving, precise brush strokes to create this botanical book which springs a global garden to life.
Neuschwander, Cindy. 88 Pounds of Tomatoes. Scholatistic Inc., 2001. This Hello Math Reader has students think in a whimsical way about the math concepts of addition and multiplication using tomatoes as a theme.
Palacios, Argentina. Peanut Butter, Apple Butter, Cinnamon Toast: Food Riddles for You to Guess. Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 1992. A book of food riddles for children.
Pomerantz, Charlotte. Why You Look Like You Whereas I Tend To Look Like Me. World Book Encyclopedia, 1984. Basic information on heredity and inherited traits. Includes a description of Gregor Mendel and his work.
Redenas, Paul. Random House of Horses and Horsemanship. Random House, 1991. Basic and detailed information on various breeds of horses.
Sheils, Barbara. Women and the Nobel Prize. Winners Publishing Company, 1985. Describes in general terms the women in history who received the Nobel Prize for their work. Includes information on Marie Curie and Barbara McClintock.
Viola, Herman J. and Carolyn Margolis. Seeds of Change. Smithsonian, 1991. Words and photographs explain the encounter and exchange of plants and animals between the Old and New Worlds and the transformation of people and land in the 500 years since Columbus.
Watts, Barrie. Tomato. Silver Burdett Press, 1989. Describes in simple text and illustrations how a tomato develops from a blossom in the spring to a ripe fruit in the summer.
www.cfaitc.org 68 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Content Standard Details
Content Standards for California Public Schools Addressed in Where’d You Get Those Genes?
Obtained from the California Department of Education*
Grade 5
Lesson(s) in which Standard is Taught Standard or Reinforced Standard Description
Science
Investigation and Rock, Paper, Scissors Understand that scientific progress is made by asking meaningful Experimentation 6 questions and conducting careful investigations.
Investigation and Peanut Butter Broccoli Classify objects in accordance with appropriate criteria. Experimentation 6a
Investigation and Peanut Butter Broccoli Record data by using appropriate graphic representations and make Experimentation inferences based on those data. 6g
Investigation and Junior’s Family Tree Draw conclusions from scientific evidence and indicate whether Experimentation Peanut Butter Broccoli further information is needed to support a specific conclusion. 6h
Reading/Language Arts
Reading 1.0 Geniacs Students use their knowledge of word origins and word relationships to determine the meaning of specialized vocabulary and to understand the precise meaning of grade-level appropriate words.
Reading 1.1 Junior’s Family Tree Read aloud narrative and expository text fluently and accurately and with appropriate pacing, intonation, and expression.
Reading 1.2 Rock, Paper, Scissors Use word origins to determine the meaning of unknown words.
Reading 1.5 Junior’s Family Tree Understand and explain the figurative and metaphorical use of words in context.
Reading 2.0 Geniacs Students read and understand grade-level appropriate material.
Reading 2.1 Junior’s Family Tree Understand how text features make information accessible and Catch Up on Tomato usable. Technology
Reading 2.3 Geniacs Discern main ideas and concepts presented in texts, identifying and Catch Up on Tomato assessing evidence that supports those ideas. Technology
Reading 2.4 Junior’s Family Tree Draw inferences, conclusions, or generalizations about text and Catch Up on Tomato support them with textual evidence and prior knowledge. Technology www.cfaitc.org 69 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Content Standard Details
Grade 5 (continued)
Lesson(s) in which Standard is Taught Standard or Reinforced Standard Description
Writing 1.0 Junior’s Family Tree Students write clear, coherent, and focused essays. The writing Geniacs exhibits the students’ awareness of the audience and purpose.
Writing 1.2 Geniacs Create multiple-paragraph narrative compositions.
Writing 1.3 Junior’s Family Tree Use organizational features of printed text to locate relevant information.
Writing 1.6 Peanut Butter Broccoli Edit and revise manuscripts to improve the meaning and focus of Catch Up on Tomato writing by adding, deleting, consolidating, clarifying, and rearranging Technology words and sentences.
Written and Oral Peanut Butter Broccoli Students write and speak with a command of standard English Language Geniacs conventions appropriate to fifth grade. Conventions 1.0 Catch Up on Tomato Technology
Written and Oral Junior’s Family Tree Use correct capitalization. Language Conventions 1.4
Written and Oral Junior’s Family Tree Spell roots, suffixes, prefixes, contractions, and syllable constructions Language correctly. Conventions 1.5
Listening and Catch Up on Tomato Students deliver focused, coherent presentations that convey ideas Speaking 1.0 Technology clearly and relate to the background and interests of the audience. They evaluate the content of oral communication.
Listening and Junior’s Family Tree Ask questions that seek information not already discussed. Speaking 1.1 Catch Up on Tomato Technology
Listening and Junior’s Family Tree Interpret a speaker’s verbal and nonverbal messages, purposes, and Speaking 1.2 Catch Up on Tomato perspectives. Technology
Listening and Junior’s Family Tree Make inferences or draw conclusions based on an oral report. Speaking 1.3 Catch Up on Tomato Technology
Listening and Peanut Butter Broccoli Identify, analyze, and critique persuasive techniques; identify logical Speaking 1.7 fallacies used in oral presentations and media messages.
Listening and Peanut Butter Broccoli Analyze media as sources for information, entertainment, persuasion, Speaking 1.8 interpretation of events, and transmission of culture.
Listening and Junior’s Family Tree Deliver informative presentations about an important idea, issue, or Speaking 2.2 Catch Up on Tomato event. Technology www.cfaitc.org 70 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Content Standard Details
Grade 5 (continued)
Lesson(s) in which Standard is Taught Standard or Reinforced Standard Description
Mathematics
Statistics, Data Junior’s Family Tree Display, analyze, compare, and interpret different data sets, including Analysis, and Peanut Butter Broccoli data sets of different sizes. Probability 1.0
Statistics, Data Junior’s Family Tree Organize and display single-variable data in appropriate graphs and Analysis, and Peanut Butter Broccoli representations and explain which types of graphs are appropriate for Probability 1.2 various sets of data.
Mathematical Rock, Paper, Scissors Students make decisions about how to approach problems. Reasoning 1.0 Peanut Butter Broccoli
Mathematical Junior’s Family Tree Analyze problems by identifying relationships, distinguishing Reasoning 1.1 Rock, Paper, Scissors relevant from irrelevant information, sequencing and prioritizing Peanut Butter Broccoli information, and observing patterns.
Mathematical Junior’s Family Tree Determine when and how to break a problem into simpler parts. Reasoning 1.2 Rock, Paper, Scissors Peanut Butter Broccoli
Mathematical Rock, Paper, Scissors Use a variety of methods, such as words, numbers, symbols, charts, Reasoning 2.3 graphs, tables, diagrams, and models, to explain mathematical reasoning.
www.cfaitc.org 71 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Content Standard Details
Grade 6
Lesson(s) in which Standard is Taught Standard or Reinforced Standard Description
Science
Investigation and Rock, Paper, Scissors Understand that scientific progress is made by asking meaningful Experimentation 7 questions and conducting careful investigations.
Investigation and Rock, Paper, Scissors Construct appropriate graphs from data and develop qualitative Experimentation Peanut Butter Broccoli statements about the relationships between variables. 7c
Investigation and Junior’s Family Tree Recognize whether evidence is consistent with proposed explanation. Experimentation 7e
Reading/Language Arts
Reading 1.0 Junior’s Family Tree Students use their knowledge of word origins and word relationships, Geniacs as well as historical and literary context clues, to determine the Catch Up on Tomato meaning of specialized vocabulary and to understand the precise Technology meaning of grade-level-appropriate texts.
Reading 1.1 Junior’s Family Tree Read aloud narrative and expository text fluently and accurately and Catch Up on Tomato with appropriate pacing, intonation, and expression. Technology
Reading 1.2 Junior’s Family Tree Identify and interpret figurative language and words with multiple Rock, Paper, Scissors meanings.
Reading 1.4 Geniacs Monitor expository text for unknown words or words with novel meanings by using word, sentence, and paragraph clues to determine meaning.
Reading 2.0 Geniacs Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate material. They Catch Up on Tomato describe and connect the essential ideas arguments, and perspectives of the Technology text by using their knowledge of text structure, organization and purpose.
Reading 2.3 Geniacs Connect and clarify main ideas by identifying their relationships to Catch Up on Tomato other sources and related topics. Technology
Reading 2.4 Catch Up on Tomato Clarify an understanding of texts by creating outlines, logical notes, Technology summaries, or reports.
Reading 2.6 Geniacs Determine the adequacy and appropriateness of the evidence for an author’s conclusions.
Reading 2.7 Geniacs Make reasonable assertions about a text through accurate, supporting citations.
Writing 1.0 Junior’s Family Tree Students write clear, coherent, and focused essays with the awareness Geniacs of audience and purpose. www.cfaitc.org 72 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Content Standard Details
Grade 6 (continued)
Lesson(s) in which Standard is Taught Standard or Reinforced Standard Description
Writing 1.1 Catch Up on Tomato Choose the form of writing that best suits the intended purpose. Technology
Writing 1.2 Geniacs Create multiple-paragraph expository compositions.
Writing 1.3 Junior’s Family Tree Use a variety of effective and coherent organizational patterns, Peanut Butter Broccoli including comparison and contrast, organization by categories, and arrangement by spatial order, order of importance, or climactic order.
Writing 1.6 Peanut Butter Broccoli Revise writing to improve the organization and consistency of ideas within and between paragraphs.
Writing 2.2 Junior’s Family Tree Write expository compositions that state a thesis or purpose, explain Geniacs the situation, follow an organizational pattern appropriate to the type of composition, and offer persuasive evidence to validate arguments and conclusions needed.
Written and Oral Peanut Butter Broccoli Students write and speak with a command of standard English Language Geniacs conventions appropriate to this grade level. Conventions 1.0 Catch Up on Tomato Technology
Written and Oral Junior’s Family Tree Use correct capitalization. Language Conventions 1.4
Written and Oral Junior’s Family Tree Emphasize salient points to assist the listener in following main ideas Language and concepts. Conventions 1.5
Listening and Catch Up on Tomato Students deliver focused coherent presentations that convey ideas Speaking 1.0 Technology clearly and relate to the background and interests of the audience. They evaluate the content of oral communication.
Listening and Junior’s Family Tree Restate and execute multiple oral instructions and directions. Speaking 1.3
Listening and Catch Up on Tomato Select a focus, an organizational structure, and a point of view, Speaking 1.4 Technology matching the purpose, message, occasion, and vocal modulation to the audience.
Listening and Catch Up on Tomato Emphasize salient points to assist the listener in following the main Speaking 1.5 Technology ideas and concepts.
Listening and Junior’s Family Tree Support opinions with detailed evidence and with visual media Speaking 1.6 Catch Up on Tomato displays that use appropriate technology. Technology
Listening and Peanut Butter Broccoli Analyze the use of rhetorical devices for intent and effect. Speaking 1.8 www.cfaitc.org 73 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Content Standard Details
Grade 6 (continued)
Lesson(s) in which Standard is Taught Standard or Reinforced Standard Description
Listening and Catch Up on Tomato Deliver informative presentations. Speaking 2.2 Technology
Mathematics
Statistics, Data Junior’s Family Tree Students use data samples of a population and describe the Analysis, and characteristics and limitations of the samples. Probability 2.0
Statistics, Data Rock, Paper, Scissors Analyze data samples and explain why the way in which the question Analysis, and was asked might have influenced the results obtained and why the Probability 2.3 way in which the results were displayed might have influenced the conclusions reached.
Statistics, Data Rock, Paper, Scissors Identify data that represent sampling errors and explain why the Analysis, and sample might be based. Probability 2.4
Statistics, Data Rock, Paper, Scissors Identify claims based on statistical data and, in simple cases, evaluate Analysis, and the validity of the claims. Probability 2.5
Statistics, Data Junior’s Family Tree Students determine theoretical and experimental probabilities and use Analysis, and these to make predictions about events. Probability 3.0
Mathematical Junior’s Family Tree Students make decisions on how to approach problems. Reasoning 1.0 Peanut Butter Broccoli
Mathematical Junior’s Family Tree Analyze problems by identifying relationships, distinguishing Reasoning 1.1 Peanut Butter Broccoli relevant from irrelevant information, identifying missing information, Rock, Paper, Scissors sequencing and prioritizing information, and observing patterns.
Mathematical Junior’s Family Tree Determine when and how to break a problem into simpler parts. Reasoning 1.3 Peanut Butter Broccoli
www.cfaitc.org 74 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Content Standard Details
Grade 7
Lesson(s) in which Standard is Taught Standard or Reinforced Standard Description
Science
Cell Biology 1c Peanut Butter Broccoli The nucleus is the repository for genetic information in plant and animal cells.
Genetics 2 Junior’s Family Tree A typical cell of any organism contains genetic instructions that Rock, Paper, Scissors specify its traits. Those traits may be modified by environmental influences.
Genetics 2b Junior’s Family Tree Sexual reproduction produces offspring that inherit half of their genes Rock, Paper, Scissors from each parent.
Genetics 2c Junior’s Family Tree An inherited trait can be determined by one or more genes. Rock, Paper, Scissors Peanut Butter Broccoli
Genetics 2d Rock, Paper, Scissors Plant and animal cells contain many thousands of different genes and Peanut Butter Broccoli typically have two copies of every gene. The two copies of the gene may or may not be identical, and one may be dominant in determining the phenotype while the other is recessive.
Genetics 2e Peanut Butter Broccoli DNA is the genetic material of living organisms and is located in the chromosomes of each cell.
Evolution 3 Rock, Paper, Scissors Biological evolution accounts for the diversity of species developed through gradual processes over many generations.
Evolution 3a Junior’s Family Tree Both genetic variation and environmental factors are causes of Rock, Paper, Scissors evolution and diversity of organisms. Peanut Butter Broccoli
Investigation and Rock, Paper, Scissors Understand that scientific progress is made by asking meaningful Experimentation 7 questions and conducting careful investigations.
Investigation and Junior’s Family Tree Communicate the logical connection among hypotheses, science Experimentation 7c Rock, Paper, Scissors concepts, tests conducted, data collected, and conclusions drawn from the scientific evidence.
Reading/Language Arts
Reading 1.0 Junior’s Family Tree Students use their knowledge of word origins and word relationships Geniacs to determine the meaning of specialized vocabulary and to Catch Up on Tomato understand the precise meaning of grade-level appropriate words. Technology
Reading 1.1 Junior’s Family Tree Identify idioms, analogies, metaphors, and similes in prose and poetry.
Reading 1.2 Rock, Paper, Scissors Use knowledge of Greek, Latin, and Anglo-Saxon roots and affixes to understand content-area vocabulary. www.cfaitc.org 75 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Content Standard Details
Grade 7 (continued)
Lesson(s) in which Standard is Taught Standard or Reinforced Standard Description
Reading 1.3 Rock, Paper, Scissors Clarify word meanings through the use of definition, example, Catch Up on Tomato restatement, or contrast. Technology
Reading 2.0 Geniacs Students read and understand grade-level appropriate material. Catch Up on Tomato Technology
Reading 2.6 Catch Up on Tomato Assess the adequacy, accuracy, and appropriateness of the author’s Technology evidence to support claims and assertions, noting instances of bias and stereotyping.
Writing 1.0 Junior’s Family Tree Students write clear, coherent, and focused essays. Geniacs Catch Up on Tomato Technology
Writing 1.3 Catch Up on Tomato Use strategies of notetaking, outlining, and summarizing to impose Technology structure on composition drafts.
Writing 1.4 Junior’s Family Tree Identify topics, ask and evaluate questions; develop ideas leading to inquiry, investigation and research.
Writing 1.7 Peanut Butter Broccoli Revise writing to improve organization and word choice after Geniacs checking the logic of the ideas and the precision of the vocabulary. Catch Up on Tomato Technology
Writing 2.5 Geniacs Write summaries of reading materials which include the main ideas and most significant details, use the students’ own words, and reflect underlying meaning.
Written and Oral Peanut Butter Broccoli Students write and speak with a command of standard English Language Geniacs conventions appropriate to the grade level. Conventions 1.0 Catch Up on Tomato Technology
Written and Oral Junior’s Family Tree Demonstrate the mechanics of writing and appropriate English usage. Language Peanut Butter Broccoli Conventions 1.4 Geniacs
Listening and Catch Up on Tomato Deliver focused coherent presentations that convey ideas clearly and Speaking 1.0 Technology relate to the background and interests of the audience.
Listening and Catch Up on Tomato Respond to persuasive messages with questions, challenges, or Speaking 1.3 Technology affirmations.
Listening and Catch Up on Tomato Organize information to achieve particular purposes and to appeal to Speaking 1.4 Technology the background interests of the audience. www.cfaitc.org 76 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Content Standard Details
Grade 7 (continued)
Lesson(s) in which Standard is Taught Standard or Reinforced Standard Description
Listening and Junior’s Family Tree Arrange supporting details, reasons, descriptions, and examples Speaking 1.5 Catch Up on Tomato effectively and persuasively in relation to the audience. Technology
Mathematics
Statistics, Data Rock, Paper, Scissors Students collect, organize, and represent data sets that have one or Analysis, and Peanut Butter Broccoli more variables and identify relationships among variables within a Probability 1.0 data set by hand and through the use of an electronic spreadsheet software program.
Mathematical Junior’s Family Tree Students make decisions about how to approach problems. Reasoning 1.0 Rock, Paper, Scissors Peanut Butter Broccoli
Mathematical Junior’s Family Tree Analyze problems by identifying relationships, distinguishing Reasoning 1.1 Rock, Paper, Scissors relevant from irrelevant information, identifying missing information, Peanut Butter Broccoli sequencing and prioritizing information, and observing patterns.
Mathematical Junior’s Family Tree Determine when and how to break a problem into simpler parts. Reasoning 1.3 Peanut Butter Broccoli
Mathematical Rock, Paper, Scissors Students use strategies, skills, and concepts in finding solutions. Reasoning 2.0
Mathematical Rock, Paper, Scissors Use estimation to verify the reasonableness of calculated results. Reasoning 2.1
Mathematical Rock, Paper, Scissors Make and test conjectures by using both inductive and deductive Reasoning 2.4 reasoning.
Mathematical Rock, Paper, Scissors Use a variety of methods, such as words, numbers, symbols, charts, Reasoning 2.5 graphs, tables, diagrams, and models, to explain mathematical reasoning.
Mathematical Rock, Paper, Scissors Students determine a solution is complete and move beyond a Reasoning 3.0 particular problem by generalizing to other situations.
Mathematical Rock, Paper, Scissors Evaluate the reasonableness of the solution in the context of the Reasoning 3.1 original situation.
Mathematical Rock, Paper, Scissors Note the method of deriving the solution and demonstrate a conceptual Reasoning 3.2 understanding of the derivation by solving simpler problems.
Mathematical Rock, Paper, Scissors Develop generalizations of the results obtained and the strategies Reasoning 3.3 used and apply them to new problem situations.
* For a complete listing of the Content Standards for California Public Schools, contact CDE Press, Sales Office, California Department of Education, Post Office Box 271, Sacramento, CA 95812-0271; (916) 445-1260; www.cde.ca.gov. www.cfaitc.org 77 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Glossary
Agriculture: The science and art of food and fiber.
Biography: Factual story of a person’s life.
Biotechnology: The development of a product or products using biological agents. In the past, these agents have been yeasts, molds, enzymes and bacteria used in such processes as wine- making and in bread and cheese production. Recently, biotechnology is identified with techniques that collectively allow the precise identification, isolation, alteration, and re-introduction of heritable traits to living organisms for specific purposes.
Burbank, Luther: Famous agricultural botanist who created new varieties of fruits and vegetables.
Carver, George Washington: A botanist known for his studies on many commodities including peanuts and cotton.
Cell: The smallest structural unit of a living organism that is able to grow and reproduce independently.
Chromosome: Rod or thread-like structures found in cell nuclei; contains the DNA molecules that make up the chromosome’s genes.
Co-dominant: A circumstance where the two alleles (or genes) for a specific trait are equally strong; a mixture of the two phenotypes results; e.g. pink snapdragons from a red and white cross.
Comparison: To examine similarities and differences.
Cross breed: To take plants or animals of the same species and breed them with the same kind of plant or animal that has differenct characteristics. For example, pollinating short corn plants with pollen from tall corn plants with the hope of producing taller plants.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA): The chemical that makes up genes (the information molecules for the cell); looks like a spiral ladder, with sugar and phosphate groups the ladder sides and the four bases (adenine, cytosine, guanine and thymine) as the rungs.
Dominant: A gene or allele that is expressed or “shown” in the phenotype regardless of the nature of the other gene or allele.
www.cfaitc.org 78 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Glossary
Equestrian: Having to do with horses.
Express: In genetics, to show the characteristics of a specified gene.
Family Tree: A graphic representation of ancestry.
Fox, Sally: A grower of colored cotton.
Gene: The basic unit of informational inheritance consisting of a sequence of DNA and generally occupying a specific position within a genome. Genes may be structural, which encode for particular proteins; regulatory, which control the expression of the other genes; or genes for transfer RNA.
Genetic Code: The groups of three nucleotide bases (codons) which specify a particular amino acid.
Genetic Engineering: The process whereby the DNA of living organisms is altered so that new traits are produced in the organism.
Genetics: The study of DNA and heredity.
Heredity: The passing of genetic traits, based on the DNA code, from parents to offspring.
Interview: To speak with someone for a specific purpose.
McClintock, Barbara: A famous geneticist who won a Nobel Prize.
Mendel, Gregor: A monk who studied the genetics of peas.
Natural Selection: The mechanism by which evolution operates; says that individuals who are best adapted to their environment will have a better chance to pass on their genes to their offspring; “survival of the fittest.”
Outcome: The results of a combination of genes.
Paint Horse: A quarterhorse with certain types of markings.
Produce: Fresh fruits and vegetables.
Quarterhorse: A special type of horse known for its big hips, short back, long neck, and a small head.
www.cfaitc.org 79 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Glossary
Recessive: An allele or gene that is not expressed or “shown” in the phenotypes. This is usually “hidden” by a dominant gene.
Selective Breeding: Continuous breeding of particular organisms to obtain a desired trait or traits.
Technology: The study of applied sciences such as engineering and mechanics.
Trait: A specific inherited characteristic.
Variation: Something different than the original.
www.cfaitc.org 80 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001